Harry Potter,the Guardian,and the ChamberofSecrets
by cerberus309
Summary: A rewrite of Harry Potter's second book, Second in the Series. Following a summer incident, the Chosen have their work cut out for them as they fight to keep one of their own sane. FallenxYoko TaranaxArcana HarryxDraco Rated for language and death.
1. Worst Birthday

This Chapter was Revised 8/29/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter One: Worst Birthday**_

It wasn't for the first time, that an argument had broken out over breakfast at Number Four Privet Drive.

Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, hooting noise from his nephew, Harry's, bedroom.

Though for once, it wasn't from Harry's own owl, it was from Draco's, and Vernon had no reason to know this. And so, Harry was taking the punishment, now that his Guardian wasn't around as often, it happened more and more often as the new school year approached.

"Third time this week!" he roared across the table. "If you can't control that owl, it'll have to go!"

Harry tried and failed to explain. "She's _bored_," he said. "She's used to flying around outside. If I could just let her out at night-"

"Do I look stupid?" Vernon snarled. Harry bit back a 'yes', knowing it would piss off his uncle further. "I know what'll happen if that owl's let out." The highly overweight man exchanged dark looks with his wife, Petunia.

Harry would have argued back, if his words weren't drowned out by a loud belch from his cousin.

"I want more bacon." he said.

"There's more in the frying pan, sweetums." Petunia answered, turning misty eyes on her massive son. "We must build you up while we've got the chance…. I don't like the sound of that school food."

Harry drowned out the rest of the conversation, at least until Dudley's horrid breath reached him and he realized he was being talked to.

"Pass the frying pan." he ordered.

Harry, who still wasn't all there with them, muttered mutinously, "You've forgotten the magic word." The moment this passed his lips, and he realized what he said, his eyes dilated a bit in fear of their reaction.

It was horrible and as predicted.

Dudley gasped and fell off his chair with a crash that shook the whole kitchen and probably the better portion of the hallway.

Petunia gave a small scream and clapped her hands to her mouth.

Vernon, however, took an aggressive action.

"I meant 'please'!" Harry said desperately. "I didn't mean-"

"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU," Vernon thundered, making Harry's ears ring. "ABOUT SAYING THE 'M' WORD IN OUR HOUSE?!"

Harry sighed.

'_**Everything alright, young one?'**_ Tarana asked, her voice sounding far more distant than he ever remembered.

Harry's eyes lit up a bit at his guardian's voice. 'Sorry, Tarana, I said the 'word' again.' He said sarcastically along the link.

Tarana chuckled. _**'Warn him that if he touches you, I will tear off his limb.'**_ she said.

'Alright.' he said, feeling the comforting feeling leave him as she left his conscious mind, leaving only a small caress to reassure him that she was returning home from wherever it was that she was.

Every since Harry had come home for the summer, the Dursleys had been acting like this. Like he was a bomb that could go off at any moment, because Harry Potter was no normal boy.

He was a wizard, fresh out of his first year at Hogwarts. They only truly spoke to him, when Tarana wasn't with them. Otherwise, they avoided the boy like a plague.

However, despite that Harry preferred life with the Dursleys when Tarana was there, it wasn't the reason he wanted her back.

He missed her.

This was the first time that he'd ever truly been without his guardian in the general vicinity him, even when he didn't know who she was.

To add insult to injury, Tarana being gone, also meant that Vernon had padlocked Hedwig into her cage, only to be let out when she returned, snarling viciously at the sight of her friend behind the bars and threatening to tear off limbs of the Dursley family. It had become obvious that as much as she disliked the humans, if they weren't harming her charge, there was no way that she could take physical action against him.

It also seemed to mean, that no one wished to write to him. The only one he received letters from, was Draco. The newest unread letter was on his desk, and the owl, who was awaiting his reply, sat on the top of the wardrobe, out of his relative's sight.

Draco was fighting Harry tooth and nail (figuratively) to use magic on the muggles he lived with.

Harry wouldn't budge, because despite how horrible they were to him, they were still family.

Harry desperately wanted to get away from the table so he could write his friend. But he was forced to listen to the plans being made about some business dinner with the Masons that evening.

Finally, he was allowed to leave.

He almost sprinted upstairs to his room, closing the door and watching as the owl fluttered down to the top of Hedwig's cage, the large eagle owl the Malfoy's owned, had become Hedwig's major source of entertainment, in the time between the letter writings, Cleo would bring live mice to her, and Harry would watch as Hedwig killed it, enjoying the figment of freedom with more than a hint of sadness.

Cleo watched with large amber eyes as her master's friend opened the letter she'd brought.

_Harry,_

_I still don't understand why you won't use magic on the abusive excuse of human waste you call family, but I'll stop…for now. Anyways, Happy Birthday. It's not nearly as quiet here as I want it to be, it makes me miss Fallen in the worst way. Father's still pressuring me to cut all ties to Weasley and Granger, Granger especially. One of the house elves has started acting oddly, wincing when one of us speaks your name. Have you gotten any visits from him? Can't wait for Hogwarts to start, it means more time with you, Blaise, and the others when Fallen's not around and less time with my Mother and Father. Oh, and Katelyn's been telling some awful lies about you, I wouldn't be surprised if she starts spreading the nonsense around the school._

_Write soon,_

_Draco_

_PS. Are you sure you haven't gotten anything from Ron? He swears that he's written you like 12 times over the summer._

Harry shook his head at some parts of the half rambled letter.

It was something that Draco did only with him, Blaise, and probably with Fallen.

Tilting his head to the side, Harry recalled something that happened a couple days ago, he'd been sitting, staring at the hedge when he could've sworn that it had begun staring back.

Shaking his head again, he began to write out a reply to his only contact in the Wizarding World.

He was just finishing it, when his aunt banged on the door, telling him to come down immediately and eat his dinner. His stomach grumbled and he glanced at the clock. He had been up there for more than 6 hours, watching Cleo and Hedwig in between his letter.

---

Going downstairs, he ate the pitiful supper of two slices of bread and a wedge of cheese before he was whisked back up to his bedroom, a final threatening glare from his uncle before he closed the door, turning to go lay on his bed.

The problem?

Two beings were already there, one of which, he had hoped never to encounter without more than a little backup or a 7000 foot pole.

He swallowed.

"Shit."


	2. Dark and Dobby

This Chapter was Revised 8/29/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Two: Dark and Dobby**_

The black wolf perched on his pillow smirked darkly, the whimpering creature, that Harry recognized from Draco's description as, a house elf was pinned beneath one of the large, black, deadly paws.

Harry swallowed, keeping his back to the door and his eyes on the wolf. "What do you want, Dark?" he asked, forcing confidence into his voice.

The wolf, Dark, snickered. **"You can't fool me, Harry. I know you're scared. I can **_**smell **_**it."**

Harry only glared.

Dark flexed his claws around the house elf's throat. **"Come and have a seat, Harry. Dobby here seems to want to have a chat with you. Won't Mr. Malfoy be…displeased."** Dark purred, lowering his head to one of the massive ears on Dobby's head, his fangs dripping saliva onto the poor creature's head.

Dobby whimpered.

"Leave him alone, Dark." Harry said, moving slowly towards the chair at his desk, he idly noticed that Cleo and the note were gone.

Hedwig was, could it be called glaring, at Dark and Dobby.

Dark tilted his head to the side, loosening his grip on Dobby to show his pleasure at Harry following his command. **"My chosen isn't very happy with you, Harry. For what you did to him. So, I was sent to deliver a message…one I'm quite sure you won't want to forget. And one that Dobby here can bring back to young Draco. I'm sure he'd love to arrange the funeral of his first friend."** Harry glared, and this time, confidence coming into his voice without being forced.

"You can't kill me, Dark. Voldemort won't let you. He wants the challenge for himself."

Dark smirked. **"You've gotten just a bit wiser in your year at the school. Does it worry you that I can get in here, when my chosen cannot?"**

Harry said nothing.

The claws tightened around Dobby's neck. **"I do expect an answer, Harry."** Harry swallowed, worry coming over him for the house elf.

"A little." he whispered, watching as Dobby was once more released. "But not as much as I fear the one who trapped you like that." he finished.

Dobby cried out sharply, and Harry heard silence fall downstairs, but he didn't care.

He was busy wrenching the door open and sprinting down the stairs, an angry wolf on his tail and a bleeding House Elf on his bed.

The Dursleys and Masons screamed when the white tiger crashed through the front window, blocking off Harry's escape from Dark.

"Arcana." Harry whispered, taking a step back.

One guardian was bad enough, and Voldemort sent both after him.

Harry's breath quickened, and fear spread around the room, no one dared move a muscle.

"**Have you missed me, young Harry? In the two months since we met last?"** Arcana asked, his voice amused. Amber eyes glittered with malice and amusement.

Mrs. Mason scream-gasped, fainting into her husband's arms.

---

Dark prowled the shadows, watching the scene play out.

Arcana, his mind slave, circled Harry, each rotation just a bit smaller. He could practically taste the fear that the Boy-Who-Lived excluded.

His eyes landed on the boy.

The youngest of the humans, muggles, that his Chosen wished to wipe from the Earth with the rest of the pathetic creatures.

Amused at the sheer size and pleased at the fear induced sweat pouring off the boy, he stepped from the shadows near him. **"Well, Harry. Rumor has it that you're abused by these…mortal fools. I guess you won't mind if I take one to my Chosen, for…pleasure purposes, will you?" ** Dark watched as realization flooded Harry. **"Amusing, how almost everything used to be about you. Now, Voldemort wants someone close to you. How does family sound?"**

Harry's eyes narrowed and he took a step forward, towards Dudley and Dark. "Leave him alone Dark! He's got nothing to do with this!"

His eyes returned to Arcana when the tiger snapped at his toes, forcing him back. **"Master warned you, Harry. That Tarana couldn't keep you all safe. And how right he was…we will slaughter them all."** Arcana's words were filled to the brim with promise.

Dudley's eyes were dilated in fear, pleading with his cousin to do something, while Vernon and Petunia stood frozen.

---

Upstairs, Dobby, with a newly healed neck, was disappearing with a crack. His worry for Harry Potter was genuine and he couldn't take on a guardian.

But he knew who could.

---

Miles away, Tarana was catching her breath. She had been running for days, returning back to Privet Drive, to her charge.

Laying against the tree, her head shot up when the crack of a house elf's appearance sounded beside her.

Her eyes narrowed on the small creature.

"**What do you want?"** she hissed.

The house elf bowed. "Dobby has come to warn you. Harry Potter is in danger. Dark is there-eep." He yelped as he was picked up in the guardian's mouth and dangled there as she ran.

"**Explain."** Dobby swallowed his fear and began to explain that he had arrived to warn Harry against going to Hogwarts this year, but Dark had already been there and before he could escape, had been pinned to the bed, and threatened Harry with the pain of death if Dobby left without express permission.

Harry had come up minutes later and made a comment that appeared to make Dark angry. Both had bolted and Dobby had been wounded and unable to follow.

Tarana's blue eyes narrowed in anger. **"They will pay in blood if there is a mark on his body."** she hissed, tearing down Privet Drive, letting Dobby drop as she approached the house.

---

Harry knew it was suicide the moment it entered his head. But he couldn't let Dudley die. He was after all, family, no matter how much Harry wished otherwise sometimes.

He lashed out, kicking Arcana in the muzzle, causing the cat to roar, before lunging for Dark, knocking them both to the ground, Harry rolling desperately to get away from the wolf.

Arcana recovered quickly and was on him like a flash. The claws and fangs never made contact.

The angered roar of a panther echoed through the neighborhood.

Tarana had returned.


	3. FalloftheGuardianQueenandEscapetotheBurr

This Chapter was Revised 8/29/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Three: Fall of the Guardian Queen and the Escape to the Burrow**_

Tarana made her anger clear, snarling as she stood between Arcana and Dark.

Harry was being pulled to his feet, and half shaken, by a hysterical Dudley.

"**You DARE to touch what is mine, Arcana?" **she hissed.

Arcana laughed. **"Of course…you would claim the child as your own. You've done it every time."**

Tarana hissed at him. **"At least I can feel. You're an emotionless bastard."**

Dark chuckled darkly. **"What a wonderful lover's spat."**

Tarana lunged at him, only to have Arcana ram her in the side, she landed on her feet, tearing up bits of carpet as the momentum propelled her. She lunged again.

And again.

And again.

Each time, one of the guardians would force her back.

She was tired from the run and from the elemental drain of the past two weeks. It may have been easier to use her magic away from Hogwarts, but two weeks of almost constant use, had beyond taken its toll.

This wasn't to say that she wasn't getting in her own fair share of wounds, even in her exhausted state.

Dark was dripping blood onto Petunia's perfect carpet from a deep wound on his side where Tarana had gotten first blood, and Arcana's speed was quartered as one of his hind paws was bleeding profusely from a deep bite mark.

But she was still failing.

Arcana kept pushing and Dark was growing angrier with each passing failure.

Harry shivered as something cold began to creep its way along his mind.

He registered it after a moment.

Despair.

Tarana's head was downcast, a heavy sheen of sweat covered her body.

The Mansons had fled.

Vernon and Petunia only remained because Dudley refused to budge.

He, like Harry, noticed that Tarana wasn't up for the fight, the majestic coat he had secretly admired, was matted with sweat and blood.

She panted heavily, but still, she fought, protecting Harry and himself.

Claw marks littered her body and a deep bite mark had her favoring all but her left back leg.

He, like Harry, felt despair.

Tarana couldn't win this.

Not alone.

And there was no one else.

The panther wouldn't let them help her, Harry had tried numerous times, only to be pushed back by the panther's body.

Arcana circled the form of his panting ex-lover.

He laughed. **"You are the Queen, Tarana. But you seem to forget. That I know you. I am your mate. You're lover. Your King."** he hissed at her.

Tarana snapped at his muzzle. **"You are no king that anyone would willingly follow, Arcana."** she hissed weakly.

Dark stepped towards the window, nursing his own variants of the battle. **"Kill her, Arcana." ** he ordered, before leaping out the window and out of sight.

Arcana, for his part, felt a flicker of regret.

Deep in his mind, some part of his whispered 'I'm sorry', as he lunged, tearing the skin from Tarana's throat.

And he could have sworn, that Tarana answered. _**'I know.'**_

---

"Tarana! Tarana! TARANA!!" Harry screamed his guardian's name over and over.

---

Hundreds of miles away, Draco and Fallen both fell to their knees, Draco holding his chest in pain, tears leaked from his eyes.

Fallen howled in pain and despair.

Joining the call of Yoko, who rose to meet the night sky in one of the trees.

Howling to the moon, the two guardians wept for their friend and their Queen.

Draco and Blaise cried, feeling Harry's pain as if it were their own.

The two chosen struggled with emotions and pain not their own.

The Bond of the Chosen flared to life, for the first time in over 900 years, sharing emotions between the three, making Harry's pain triple.

He shivered, collapsing over the form of the panther.

His hands clenched in her fur, blood dripped from her throat onto the once-meticulously clean carpet.

Tarana's eyes fluttered.

'_**Harry.'**_ she whispered, it carried only as far as Dudley, who was still staring at the scene in horror. Harry's hands clenched further into her fur. _**'I'm sorry Harry. I'll try better…next time.'**_ Harry's tears doubled. _**'Take care of him, mortal…he will need it far more than you understand.'**_ she whispered, knowing that Dudley heard when the sharp intake of breath met her fading hearing.

She closed her eyes, letting the pain take her.

---

Harry's magic swirled angrily, responding to all the repressed emotions that broke with his guardian, his friend's death.

He knew it was dangerous, he could hear someone, deep in the back of his mind, far away, calling out to him.

Yelling for him to stop.

He heard nothing, saw nothing but Arcana tearing out Tarana's throat.

He had only known her for a year.

_She wasn't supposed to die yet. She promised to help me beat him. She _promised_. She promised._

The words repeated themselves in his mind, until blissful darkness took him.

---

Dudley covered his head, anything that hadn't been bolted down, was now swirling around the living room.

He could hear his father screaming at the boy to stop.

Looking at his cousin, Dudley realized that it didn't seem like Harry knew what he was doing at all.

But than, he wasn't a wizard, so he didn't know.

Finally, everything dropped and Harry lay over Tarana, breathing raggedly.

Vernon stood, his face an odd purple.

"Dudley. Get him upstairs. Lock his door. He is too dangerous to be let out now."

Dudley was too stunned to protest, but he did try to be as gentle as possible as he wormed his way up to Harry's room.

He set Harry on the bed and looked over at the owl in the cage, watching him with intelligent eyes.

Looking at his cousin, he whispered. "What do I do now?" before he left the room, locking the door as he had been told.

---

Downstairs, he saw Vernon dragging Tarana's body out back. He watched through the window for several minutes, before he forced himself to look away.

He glanced at his mother, who was curled up on the couch with a mug of tea.

She looked up and saw her son. "Dudley. Come here sweetums." she said.

He glanced at the back door and saw with disgust that his father had left Tarana's body in the bushes and was making his way back into the house, covered in sweat from the apparent energy that had been put into it.

"What are we going to do?" he asked quietly.

Sitting next to his mother as best he could.

Petunia sighed. "Your father's lost it. He's talking of putting bars on Harry's windows now, to keep him from getting out and something like this," she gestured to her living room. "happening again."

Dudley swallowed and looked down. "Mum, would you hate me, if I said that…I feel bad for him?" he asked quietly.

He heard her sigh. "No, I wouldn't, Dudley. Because I feel bad too."

Vernon walked in. "We'll get this cleaned up in the morning. Everyone to bed."

Dudley nodded, and stood, waiting until his father had sat down beside his mother before going upstairs.

---

Harry woke up slowly, memories flooded his mind.

Dark and Dobby, Arcana, Tarana….

He whimpered. "Tarana."

Opening his eyes slowly, the first thing he noticed, was that there were bars on his windows.

The second thing he noticed was that Cleo and a black and gray owl were perched by Hedwig's cage.

And the final thing he noticed, was that Dudley was staring at him.

He blinked.

Dudley waved slightly.

"Hi." he whispered, glancing at the two owls. "I let them in for you. Thought you might want to get something from your friends for once." he said.

Harry shivered slightly.

"Thanks…." he whispered.

Cleo took flight, and Dudley inhaled sharply as one of her wings brushed his arm.

She landed on Harry's knee, tilting her head in a curious manner.

Harry gently ran his fingers down her feathers, taking comfort in the familiar presence. Although he would have been happier had it actually been his friend.

He winced when she tightened her talons and sighed, pulling the letter off of her leg.

_Harry,_

_Be by your window at midnight. Ron and the twins are getting you out._

_I'm really sorry about Tarana, Harry. I know how much she probably meant to you and have no idea the amount of pain you're feeling. We all felt it, when she died. Yoko and Fallen howled for hours. I can't imagine what its like for them either. They were all so close. I wish I could change it, that she didn't have to die. She was like a mother to all of Gryffindor. It hurts now, thinking of going back without her there._

_Hmph, I guess what I really want to do is be there to comfort you. But Father's locked me in my room because of the racket that Fallen made last night. The Manor is warded against port keys, so I'd need to get out of the Manor to come see you._

_Write Soon and Don't Do Anything Drastic,_

_Your Friend, _

_Draco_

Harry let the letter fall to the bed, Cleo took flight as he curled in on himself.

"Drastic." he whispered, clenching the Panther Pendent in his hand. "Define Drastic, Draco." he muttered, tears welling in his eyes again.

Dudley decided to leave. "Um-mum's making you some lunch, while Dad's at work…I'm really sorry." he said, closing the door behind him.

---

Harry stirred almost an hour later, as he felt the other owl land on his shoulder and moved his hand up, letting it step onto his finger before taking the letter.

_Harry,_

_I don't know if you'll get this, as it appears that you haven't gotten the other 5 I've sent you, but I wanted to offer my condolences for Tarana. I know what it's like to lose someone close to you. But I also know that Tarana was probably all you had, aside from us. She was brilliant, Yoko is curled up in a corner, staring at the shadows as we speak, as if waiting for her to step from them. How do we comfort them? How do we comfort you? I don't want to know how she died, as it hurts too much to think about. I can't wait to see you at Ron's. At least then I know that you're safe._

_The twins are plotting to get you away from the muggles today. I was going with them, but…. Just, don't' do anything stupid, Harry. We're worried for you._

_Stay Safe,_

_Blaise._

Harry blinked back tears. _Everyone thinks I'm going to commit suicide or something._ He thought to himself. _Do I worry them that much?_

There was a timid knock at the door and it opened.

Petunia stopped short, seeing the two owls, before coming in further.

"You should send them back before Vernon gets home." she said quietly, placing a tray on the nightstand and sitting on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Harry was too weary to feel surprised at her sudden show of kindness. "Terrible." he muttered.

Cleo nipped gently at his fingers and Hedwig hooted softly.

Smiling weakly, he ran his fingers down the wing again. "Harry, I'm sorry, for the past 11 years, and for last night. Vernon doesn't see it, but I do. Tarana saved our lives last night. For that, we owe you both more than we should." she brushed the boy's bangs away from his scar. "From the letter we got, I think you're special. There's more to you than most of your kind. Dudley and I realize our mistake, and we're sorry for it. Vernon however…is different. He doesn't want to see that there is something more to normal. I want you to know that you can come to me…even if it doesn't seem like it anymore. I can't take her place, but I'll try to make it easier."

Harry said nothing.

Petunia sighed and pulled her hand away. "I made you a sandwich. Try to eat it." she left.

Cleo and the other owl watched her go before they went to the window.

Harry sighed and stood up, his eyes, if one looked, were duller than they used to be, but there was a spark there, where there hadn't been one.

Opening the window, he watched the owls of his two friends fly away.

---

Packing away the stuff in his room, he sat and picked at the sandwich under Hedwig's watchful eyes.

---

By dinner, he had dozed off, by midnight he was dreaming of Arcana's teeth tearing out Tarana's throat, while he was forced to watch from a cage.

Waking with a gasp of pain and few tears, he saw that there was a face looking at him through the bars on his windows.

Ron Weasley was outside his window on the second floor.

"Ron," Harry breathed, creeping to the window and pushing it up so they could talk through the bars. "Ron, how did you-" Harry's eyes widened and his mouth fell open in shock. "What the hell?"

Ron was leaning out of the back window of an old turquoise car, which was parked in midair.

Smiling sadly at Harry from the front seat were Ron's older twin brothers, Fred and George.

"How've you been, Harry?" Ron asked. "Draco owled us and basically ordered us to get you out of the Dursleys."

"Dad said you got an official warning from the Ministry of Magic for using magic in front of the muggles you live with." Fred said.

Harry blinked. This was the first he'd heard of this. "What?"

"He works for the Ministry. You know we're not supposed to do magic outside of school." George mock admonished.

Harry shrugged, uncaringly. "I didn't know I was doing it. It was right after…." he trailed off, stepping away from the window.

The three boys exchanged worried looks. "Harry. Tie this around the bars." George said, tossing a rope to Fred, who tossed one end to Harry.

"If Uncle Vernon wakes up, I'm dead." Harry stated, as he tied the rope tightly around one of the bars.

Fred revved the engine. "Don't worry." he said, "and stand back."

Harry moved to the shadows next to Hedwig, who had been silent, for the most part, since Tarana's death, hooted softly in reassurance.

The car revved louder and louder and suddenly, with a crunching noise, the bars were pulled clean off the window as Fred drove straight up in the air.

Harry walked back to the window to see the bars dangling a few feet above the ground.

Panting, Ron hoisted them up into the car.

Harry listened, but there was no sound from the Dursleys' bedrooms.

When the bars were safely in the backseat with Ron, Fred reversed as close as possible to the window.

"Get in." Ron said.

"All my Hogwarts stuff, my broom-my wand-"

"Where is it?" Fred asked.

"Locked in the cupboard under the stairs." Harry answered.

_I almost miss his curious nature._ Ron thought as Fred and George crawled through the window.

_I've got to hand it to them,_ Harry thought. _They know what they're doing._

George took an ordinary hairpin and began to pick the lock.

"A lot of wizards think it's a waste of time, knowing this muggle trick." Fred said. "but we think they're skills are worth learning, even though they're a bit slow."

There was a soft click and the door swung open.

"We'll get your trunk-you get anything you need from your room and hand it out to Ron." George whispered.

"Watch the bottom stair." Harry warned dully.

He moved around the room, grabbing his things and passing them out to Ron.

He then walked out to help the twins heave his trunk up the stairs.

Harry heard Vernon cough, and almost dropped the trunk on his foot stopping to make sure he was still asleep.

At last, panting, they reached the landing, then carried the trunk through the window, Fred and Ron pulling, George and Harry pushing from the room.

Inch by inch, the trunk slid through the window.

Vernon coughed again.

"A bit more." Fred panted. "One good push-"

Harry and George threw their shoulders against the trunk and it slid out of the window and into the back of the car.

"Let's go." George whispered, climbing out the window into the front seat.

Hedwig gave a shriek and Harry spun around.

"Hedwig!" he whispered loudly, although it was easily drowned out by Vernon's voice.

"THAT RUDDY OWL!!"

Harry sprinted across the room just as the light clicked on.

He was handing the cage out to Ron when Vernon hammered on the unlocked door and it swung open.

For a split second, he stood framed in the doorway.

Then he let out a sound like an angry bull and dove across the room, grabbing his nephew by the ankle.

Ron, Fred, and George seized Harry's arms and pulled as hard as they could. "Petunia!" Vernon roared. "He's getting away! HE'S GETTING AWAY!!"

And he was. The three Weasleys gave a gigantic tug and Harry, who lost his temper snapped under all of the stress, kicked his uncle in the face, causing his grip to loosen and his leg to slide out of Vernon's grasp, then he was in the car, and the door was slammed shut.

"Put your foot down, Fred!" Ron yelled, and the car shot towards the moon.

Harry couldn't believe it.

For the first time in a long while, he grinned.

Ron watched Harry roll down the window and looked back at the roof tops.

Vernon, who sported a very bloody nose and lip, Petunia, and Dudley all looked dumbstruck, although Harry was sure it was for various reasons.

"See you next summer!" Harry yelled.

The Weasleys roared with laughter and relief, and Harry settled back in his seat, his grin slid from his face.

"Let Hedwig out." he told Ron, his voice once more neutral. "She can fly behind us. She hasn't had a chance to stretch her wings for ages."

Ron mentally sighed.

George handed the hairpin back to Ron and moments later, the snowy owl soared joyfully out of the window to glide along side them like a ghost.

"So, Harry…what's the story? Why haven't you been answering my letters?" Harry hesitated a moment, before he launched into what he knew.

Dobby and Dark appearing at his house, to when Tarana's throat was torn.

There was a long, mourning silence.

Finally, Fred broke the silence. "Fishy. Very fishy."

"Definitely dodgy." George agreed.

"Wonder why a Malfoy house elf was at your house though." Harry shrugged. "Dobby never spoke to me. Dark did all the talking."

He saw Fred and George look at each other.

"What?"

"Well, house elves have power and stuff, but they've got very little freewill. I reckon that Dobby was sent to stop you from coming back to Hogwarts. Know anyone at school with a grudge?"

"Yes." Harry and Ron said together.

"Katelyn Malfoy." Ron said. "She hates us."

"Katelyn Malfoy? Draco's cousin?" George asked, turning.

Ron nodded.

"Mr. Malfoy's probably not too happy with me either. As we sort of turned Draco away from Slytherins." Harry stated.

"Lucius Malfoy?" George asked.

Harry shrugged. "Probably."

"That would make Katelyn his niece and the favorite because she's in Slytherin."

"You make it sound like you've met him." Harry said, looking out the window.

Ron winced, remembering his accusations of both Draco and Snape, their Potions Professor at Hogwarts, the year before, neither of which were correct.

"I've heard my dad talking about him." Fred said. "He was a big supporter of You-Know-Who. And when he disappeared," Fred craned around to look at Harry, who avoided all of their gazes. "Lucius Malfoy came back saying he'd never meant any of it. Load of crap."

"Dad reckons he was right in You-Know-Who's inner circle." George added.

Harry tried to imagine Draco as the Lucius Malfoy that the twins were describing, and truly hated what he saw.

He saw a git, who he would love no better than to punch in the mouth, not his best friend.

---

Draco sat on his bed, idly twirling his quill.

His Potions assignment was laying completed on his bed before him.

Fallen was curled up as far from the fire as possible, and Draco couldn't blame him.

Even thinking about the fire in the corner of the room made his chest hurt.

The flickering flames continually reminded him of the dead Guardian Queen, and he'd only known her for about a year.

He figured it reminded Fallen of the same, and he'd known Tarana so much longer.

The red wolf whimpered softly and Draco pretended not to hear.

The wind elemental had his pride after all.

---

'**Stop moping, Fallen.'** the wolf snarled at the guardian's mind. **'It's not going to help keep Draco safe. And what about the promise on the chess board?'**

'_**Fuck off, Matt.'**_ Fallen snarled.

'**No. This is a waste of time!'**

'_**Matt! Leave. Me. Alone.'**_

'**I'm going to bug your fuzzy ass into action, Fallen, count on it. Tarana's dead.'** Fallen whimpered quietly. **'Get over it, right now, Draco and Harry need you.'**

Fallen was silent, but the wolf knew that the Malfoy guardian was thinking.

---

Draco curled up around a pillow and silently cried.

Memories and sadness not his own flooded his body.

A long, elegant hand patted his shoulder before the person left.

A few minutes later, a warm body wormed its way under Draco's arms, pushing the pillow out of the way.

'_**I'm sorry, Draco.'**_ Fallen murmured, his rough tongue gently licking away the blonde's tears.

---

From the doorway, Lucius Malfoy watched Fallen comfort his son, an unreadable expression on his face.

---

Meanwhile, Blaise snickered quietly, while Fred, George, and Ron all got a rather loud talking to by Molly Weasley.

Yoko was curled on one of Harry's shoulder, Hedwig settled on the other.

Molly had shouted herself hoarse before she turned on Harry and Blaise, who backed away.

"I'm very pleased to see you, Harry, dear," she said. "Come in and have some breakfast." She turned and walked back into the house and Harry, after a nervous glance at Ron and Blaise, both of whom nodded encouragingly, followed her.

The kitchen was small and rather cramped.

There was a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle, and Harry sat down on the edge of his seat, looking around. He had never been in a wizard house before.

The clock on the wall opposite him had only one hand and no numbers at all. Written around the edge were things like: _Time to make tea_;_ Time to feed the chickens_; and _You're late_.

Books were stacked three deep on the mantelpiece, books with titles like: _Charm Your Own Cheese_; _Enchantment in Baking_; and _ One Minute Feasts-It's Magic!_

And unless Harry's ears were deceiving him, the old radio next to the sink had just announced that coming up was "Witching Hour, with the popular singing sorceress, Celestina Warbeck."

Molly was clattering around, cooking breakfast a little haphazardly, throwing dirty looks at her sons as she threw sausages into the frying pan.

Every now and then Blaise and Harry, who were sitting closest to her, could hear her muttering things like "don't know _what _you were thinking of," and "_never_ would have believed it."

A few minutes later, there was a diversion in the form of a small, red headed figure in a long nightdress, who appeared in the kitchen, gave a small squeal, and ran out again.

Blaise snorted into his juice. "Ginny." he whispered. "Apparently she was talking about you even before I got here."

"Yup. Next she'll be wanting your autograph." Fred said, with a grin.

---

Blaise and Ron led Harry up to Ron's room later that day. His head almost touched the sloping ceiling, and nearly every inch of space was covered in orange.

Posters covered the walls, all of the same seven witches and wizards.

"Your Quidditch team?" Harry asked Ron.

Ron nodded. "The Chudley Cannons, they're ninth in the league."

Harry noticed that Ron was holding himself nervously.

As if waiting for his opinion.

Harry grinned weakly. "Its brilliant, Ron."

Ron blushed and Blaise laughed.

Yoko remained curled around Harry's shoulders for the rest of the day.


	4. Flourish and Blotts and Lockhart

This Chapter was Revised 8/31/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Four: Flourish and Blotts and Lockhart**_

Three days after he arrived at the Burrow, Cleo arrived with a letter from Draco, arranging a date and time to meet up in Diagon Alley when their letters came.

Harry didn't know why it made him feel so much better to know that he'd see Draco soon, when he was surrounded by people who seemed to like him, he decided not to dwell on it, and went back to his breakfast, after writing back a quick reply on the back and sending it with Hedwig so that Cleo could rest.

A week after he arrived, Harry heard from Hogwarts.

Along with the letter of all his school requirements for the upcoming year, was a letter offering condolences from the entire staff of Hogwarts, which Harry promptly tossed into the fire, their feelings meant nothing to him. The majority of the staff of Hogwarts couldn't stand the Guardians, for differing reasons.

He read the list of requirements that he'd need for the upcoming school year.

_SECOND YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:_

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2

_by Miranda Goshawk_

Break with a Banshee

_by Gilderoy Lockhart_

Gadding with Ghouls

_by Gilderoy Lockhart_

Holidays with Hags

_by Gilderoy Lockhart_

Travels with Trolls

_by Gilderoy Lockhart_

Voyages with Vampires

_by Gilderoy Lockhart_

Wanderings with Werewolves

_by Gilderoy Lockhart_

Year with the Yeti

_by Gilderoy Lockhart_

Harry scoffed quietly.

_This person a fan or a fanatic?_ he wondered silently.

He heard Yoko snort quietly on Blaise's lap and looked up to see the fox smirking at him.

---

Ron received a reply from Hermione. She was coincidentally going to be in Diagon Alley the same day as they were.

Molly woke them early that Wednesday, although it was Yoko who woke the ever stubborn Ron, the red head found himself hanging upside down by one of the fox's plants.

"Eeep! Put me down!"

Yoko chuckled. **"Okay."**

Ron was promptly dropped on his bed, now wide awake.

---

When they were all downstairs, Molly took a flowerpot off the mantelpiece and peered inside. "We're running low, Arthur." she sighed. "We'll have to buy some more today…. Ah, well, guests first! After you, Harry, dear." she offered him the pot.

"**He's never used it, Molly."** Yoko said quietly, his good mood from that morning gone.

Molly blinked. "Never?"

"**T-"** he stopped, wincing.

"Tarana took him." George said quietly.

Yoko shot him a grateful look.

Fred took a pinch of the glittering powder. "Watch us, Harry." He threw the powder into the flames.

With a roar, the fire turned emerald green and rose higher than Fred.

Harry shrank back, remembering similar black and green flames that rose in response to anger.

Fred stepped right into the flames, shouting "Diagon Alley!" and vanished.

"You have to speak clearly Harry." George said, before following his twin.

Harry threw in the Floo powder and stepped into the fire, promptly swallowing a mouth full of hot ash.

"D-Dia-gon Alley." He coughed.

His last view of the Weasleys' house was Yoko's horrified eyes, before it felt as though he was being sucked down a giant drain.

---

Yoko lunged forward, but stopped inches from the flames when Harry disappeared.

"**Fuck."** he swore quietly, before turning to Blaise.

---

Harry fell, face forward, onto cold stone and felt the bridge of his glasses snap.

Dizzy, bruised, and covered in soot, he got gingerly to his feet, holding his broken glasses up to his eyes. He looked around and shivered violently.

He was alone.

Again.

Before he could walk out the door, two people appeared on the other side of it.

One of which was Katelyn Malfoy.

Quickly ducking into a nearby cabinet, Harry watched, and listened as Katelyn ranted to someone, probably her father.

A stooping man had appeared behind the counter, smoothing his greasy black hair back from his face.

"Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure." the man said.

"I've heard good things about you from my brother, Mr. Borgin. I need to sell you some things, as my brother was unable to make it and do so himself." The cleaner man, Katelyn's father, said this, cold brown eyes were made more pronounced as he spoke of his brother with a sneer.

---

Twenty minutes later, Harry watched the shoulder length platinum blond hair of Nathan Malfoy disappear into the crowd outside the shop.

He himself slipped out seconds later, and walked down the alley.

A sign above him said Knockturn Alley.

"Not lost are you, my dear?" said a voice in his ear, making him jump.

An aged witch stood in front of him, holding a tray of what looked horribly like whole human fingernails.

"I'm fine thanks," he muttered blankly. "I'm just-" he stopped to pull his hand away sharply from the reaching grasp.

"**Hey!"** Harry spun around, knocking the tray from the witch's arms, who swore and cursed his ancestry.

"Arcana?" Harry whispered monotonously.

The white tiger, who had once glowed with an almost ethereal light, seemed dull now.

He sat at the top of the stairs, tail curled limply around his body.

"**Come on."** Arcana whispered, eyes flashing red for a split second, and Harry could feel his glasses mend themselves. **"This is no place for a mourner."**

Arcana watched sadly, until Harry was more than two-thirds up the stairs before turning and disappearing from view.

---

At the top of the stairs, a silver blur collided with his stomach.

"**You stupid, stupid, **_**stupid**_** boy! You scared the shit out of me!"** Yoko cried.

"Sorry." Harry whispered, wrapping his arms around the fox to stabilize them both before they fell back down the stairs of Knockturn Alley.

Harry heard the snickers before he saw the Weasleys and Blaise.

Hermione was with them, she hugged him tightly, muttering condolences.

Harry took it in silence. He said nothing and made no move to accept the touch of his friend, or to reject it.

And that seemed to be the real reason, Hermione was in tears.

---

After Gringotts, they split up, promising to meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy books.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Blaise, and Yoko strolled off along the cobbled street.

Harry bought them all ice cream and then Hermione and Blaise both dragged the other two shopping for school supplies.

---

An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts.

They were by no means the only ones.

Finally, after the fourth trodden paw, Yoko let out a vicious snarl, and a path was cleared.

They found the Weasleys easily enough. Molly was preening, as it seemed that her hero, Gilderoy Lockhart, was signing his new book.

"Oh good, there you are." she said breathlessly. "We'll be able to see him in a minute…."

Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd.

The real Lockhart was wearing forget-me-not blue that exactly matched his eyes.

A short, irritable looking man was dancing around taking photos with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.

"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Blaise, moving back for a better shot. "This is for the _Daily Prophet_-"

"Big deal." Ron muttered, pulling his friend back to avoid a furious Yoko over trodden toes.

Lockhart heard him.

He looked up, saw Ron-and then he saw Harry.

Harry gulped as the other wizard stared.

Then leapt to his feet and shouted. "It can't be Harry Potter?"

The crowd parted, whispering excitedly.

Lockhart dove forward and pulled Harry up to the table, the crowd closing around the two before Yoko could even move.

"Nice big smile, Harry." Lockhart said, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."

Several pictures were taken before the doors were slammed closed, wind swirling around Harry and Lockhart before dying out completely.

A growling, angry red wolf stepped around several people, others gasping and stumbling away from the canine.

Harry struggled to pull his hand free. "Not to worry," Lockhart said. "I'm sure its completely harmless. Just someone's pet."

Harry choked quietly.

"**Harmless am I?"** Fallen sneered, eyes trailing to the hand Harry was still struggling to free. **"I suggest letting go of Mr. Potter."** he said, and Harry pulled his hand free, stumbling back towards the wolf Guardian.

Fallen turned and walked from sight.

'_**I'll take care of him later.'**_ Fallen muttered, as he passed Yoko.

---

Minutes later, after much pushing and shoving to get through the crowd, Harry dumped the books into Ginny's cauldron.

"You can have 'em. I'll buy my own."

"Bet you loved that, didn't you Potter." a familiar drawl said from behind him.

He turned and came face to face with Draco Malfoy, who was smirking darkly despite the grieving look in his eyes.

"_Famous_ Harry Potter," Draco said. "can't even go into a _bookshop_ without making the front page."

"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!" Ginny said sharply.

It was the first time she'd spoken in front of Harry and was glaring at the Malfoy heir.

"Got yourself a girlfriend, Potter?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl as Ron and Hermione approached.

Ginny went scarlet.

"Oh, its you." Ron said, before smirking, joining Draco's playful banter. "Surprised to see Harry here?"

Draco chuckled. "Not really. More surprised to see his girlfriend." he tilted his head slightly in Ginny's direction.

Harry couldn't help it.

He started laughing at the confused and embarrassed expression on the Weasley girl's face. All of the stress, all of his grief, was poured out of his body as he laughed himself into hysteria, tears streaming down his cheeks.

He would never be able to tell whether it was the strange friendship between Ron and Draco, or the relief of seeing his closest friend, but he was heaving for breath by the time Yoko stalked his way out of the crowd.

---

Draco grinned at Harry and gave Ron a high-five.

Blaise and the twins scrambled over with Arthur.

Draco nodded politely to the older wizard. "Afternoon Mr. Weasley. How's your summer?" he asked.

Arthur blinked. "Its fine and yours?"

"Getting better, I hope."

Blaise watched the blonde's eyes slide to Harry for a brief moment before coming back to rest on Arthur.

"Well, well, well-Arthur Weasley." Lucius Malfoy stood behind his son, hand on the boy's shoulder.

Harry noticed the imperceptive tensing and watched the mask as it was dropped and a new one was rebuilt.

"Lucius." Arthur nodded coldly.

Fallen casually slinked from the shadows, and the hand was removed. **"You really should watch yourself, Lucius. Allies lie everywhere."** the wolf said, sitting at Draco's side.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger watched the wolf apprehensively.

"The company you keep, Arthur…and I thought your family could sink no lower-"

There was no warning.

Fallen lunged, and Lucius brought his cane to catch the lethal teeth.

"**Tarana**** kept that company, you asshole. She hunted for them. Protected them. If anyone is of lower breeding here, its you."** Fallen sneered around the mouthful of black metal.

Draco, Malfoy mask in place, gently took hold of the wolf's jaws and pried them off the cane.

"That was uncalled for, Father." Draco said quietly, settling the wolf back on his paws. "Come on, Fallen." Draco swept from the shop, muttering an apology to the Grangers and Arthur as he passed them.

Harry, Blaise, and Yoko followed hurriedly.

"Draco!" Blaise called.

"Wait up!" Harry said, panting slightly.

Fallen paused, turning slightly. **"Harry. Blaise. Yoko."**

Draco stopped a few feet away and Harry walked to him.

"**You shouldn't have lost it like that, Fallen."** Yoko whispered.

"Draco?" Harry whispered, putting a hand on his friend's arm. "You alright?"

Draco looked up at him, whispering, "I can't go back there, Harry. Not with her there."

Harry blinked, his eyes flickering with something unnamed. "Her?…Your mother?"

Draco nodded.

Harry was silent for a moment. "Come on, Dray. Let's go talk to the Weasleys. Maybe you can come and visit for the day."

Draco nodded slowly.

"Come on, Harry." Blaise called.

Harry nodded and they left, leaving the Guardians behind.

---

'_**What's wrong, Fallen?'**_ Yoko asked, as the three Gryffindors walked to catch up with the Weasleys.

'_**I promised her, Yoko. And we both know that Harry's in more danger than Blaise or Draco even now.'**_

Yoko sighed.

He did know.

'_**If it comes down to it, Fallen, who would you protect?'**_

Fallen's answer was simple. _**'Whoever I can.'**_

Yoko nodded. _**'I want to help, Fallen. Let me help you.'**_

Fallen shivered. _**'Yoko…'**_

The silver fox jumped onto the wolf's back, nuzzling the back of Fallen's neck. _**'Please.'**_

Fallen gave a shudder of a different kind. _**'Alright. Hold on, love, we've got quite a bit of distance to cover.'**_

With those words, the wolf tore through Diagon Alley in search of their charges, the fox crouched low against the wind.

---

Harry and Blaise walked on either side of Draco, as the trio walked on, keeping an eye out for the Weasleys.

Harry was more distracted than Draco remembered.

"Dray." Blaise whispered, walking forward to walk beside the taller blond. "Do you think he's beyond saving?

Draco shook his head. "No. But it will take time."

Blaise sighed. "He may not have it with your cousin at school, Dray. We both know that she's going to hit him where it hurts."

Draco sighed, glancing back at the dejected boy behind them, a spark of warmth spread through his body, but it wasn't the pleasant kind. "I was aware of that. And I haven't quite come up with a way around it without kidnapping him and locking him up somewhere as far from the world as possible."

"And _that's _so much better." Blaise muttered sarcastically.

Draco gave him a half hearted smile. "You got a better idea, Zabini?"

Blaise shook his head. "No. But perhaps we should start out by just being his friends. I, for one, will have no problems going after Katelyn if it will keep him safe. Even without a Guardian, he is one of us, and I will protect him with everything that I am, even if I have to go through Yoko to do it…. But I think it would mean more coming from you. He trust you more than anyone else, except perhaps Tarana."

Draco tried to ignore the twinge that came with the panther's name. "As will I, Blaise. You can count on it."

Blaise nodded and slipped back to walk beside Harry, trying to get the boy to talk again.

---

"Harry! Blaise! Draco!" Fred yelled, waving the three over to where he stood with George. "Mom's hysterical, looking for you three."

George nodded in agreement. "Come on. Mom sent us out to wait for you." he said, leading the group towards the Leaky Cauldron, where the Grangers and Weasleys were waiting.

Hermione jumped up and made to hug them, but held herself back when the two guardians reentered the pub.

"You're coming to stay with us, Draco." Molly said, maneuvering the boy towards the fire.

"But father-"

"Will be sending along your trunk." Arthur said, waving to the Grangers as they left.

"**He's kicked you out for the rest of the summer."** Fallen said. **"We passed him on our way up here."**

'Why?'

Fallen smirked. **"Because of your mother. He's severely upset."**

Draco nodded slowly, watching Fred and George leave, shouting 'the burrow'.

---

Arriving at the Burrow, Draco looked around, smirking at Fred and George. "Nice place." was all he said, receiving high fives from the twins.

'**Perhaps this will be easier than expected, Fallen.'** Matt muttered sarcastically, as he followed Blaise and Yoko to the Burrow. **'Seeing as you've just given up the home field advantage because Draco's got a crush on the Boy-Who-Lived.'**

Fallen snorted. _**'Its no crush, Matt. Eventually, Harry and Draco will end up together. Now stop being an ass and pay attention to our surroundings. We'll both need to know it if we spend more time with our allies.'**_ Fallen commanded, eyes traveling the house.

It was going to be a long two weeks.


	5. The Willow

This Chapter was Revised 8/31/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Five: The Willow**_

On their last day of vacation, Molly cooked a spectacular meal, complete with raw meat of various kinds for Yoko and Fallen.

Fred and George rounded off the evening with various Filibuster fireworks, one of which they had Arthur charm to explode in the shape of a large black panther, roaring to the settling sun.

Tears were shed in memory of the panther.

There was time for one last mug of hot chocolate and good stories of Tarana and then bed.

---

It took a while to get started the next morning.

The group was up at dawn, but somehow they still seemed to have a lot to do.

Molly dashed about, looking for things that the others had forgotten or lost.

Fallen, Yoko, and Draco watched people colliding on the stairs, half-dressed with bits of toast in their hands.

Yoko kindly chased the chickens out of Arthur's path as he carried the trunks to the car.

---

When at last, everyone was in the car and after returning four times to get forgotten things, they were finally on their way to King's Cross Station.

At quarter to eleven, they arrived at King's Cross. Molly ordered Percy, Blaise, and Yoko through first; Fred, George, and Arthur next.

She and Ginny went through next, leaving Draco, Harry, Ron, and Fallen to go through the barrier.

---

As Draco and the others approached, Fallen's eyes widened.

'_**STOP!'**_ he shouted.

The three boys skidded to a halt, Hedwig's empty cage tumbling to the ground with a crash.

"What the hell, Fallen?" Ron hissed.

'_**It's reinforced. Something doesn't want us to go through.'**_Fallen explained.

Draco glanced around.

"The car. We can take the car."

Fallen's eyes flickered to the people around them. _**'The train just left.'**_ he stated, then muttered exclusively to Ron, Draco, and Matt. _**'I really wish Harry wasn't here. There's something incredibly fishy about this.'**_

Draco nodded to his guardian, following Ron from the station.

Harry followed, only when Draco went back and called from him.

'**He's so distracted.'** Matt murmured.

---

Draco ran his fingers through Fallen's coarse fur.

Harry sat staring out the window, silent.

Ron glanced at Harry, then Draco and sighed.

"**Turn a bit Ron."** Fallen said, keeping his eyes closed, rumbling his pleasure to Draco.

Ron nodded, and sighed again.

As he went to turn the wheel, his hands slipped, covered in sweat as they were, unable to keep a good grip.

The car flipped wildly and Harry was thrown into the back.

Fallen rolled to the floor with a muffled yelp and several very vicious curses and Harry landed face-to-face with Draco.

Draco swallowed heavily.

Ron got the car straight and Fallen hid a small smirk.

---

Ron let Fallen rest his head on his lap.

He noticed that Harry and Draco, at some point, had fallen asleep, leaning against each other.

However, this is truly where the problem started.

Silhouetted on the dark horizon, was the Hogwarts Castle. Normally, this would be a good thing…however, at the same time, the car began to shudder and lose speed.

Narrow jets of steam were issuing from under the hood.

The car gave a rather violent shudder, waking Harry and Draco.

Below them, Harry could see the lake.

"Shit." he heard Draco mutter.

Moments after they reached the other side of the lake, the engine gave one last loud clunk, followed by a sputter, and then it died completely.

Fallen's head shot up and the car began to plummet towards the castle wall.

"Fallen!" Draco said, eyes shooting to Ron, who was banging desperately on the dashboard with his wand. Fallen's eyes flashed red and the car spun quickly.

It was still losing altitude however.

Fallen took a deep breath and allowed his body to breath.

Swiftly, the car shot upwards, Fallen's banks of wind keeping them aloft.

Five minutes later, the car dropped, directly for an old willow tree, and Fallen's mind began to grow dark.

Desperately, he called for Yoko.

---

Inside the Great Hall, Yoko felt Fallen's mind pleading with him to hurry.

He was on his feet swiftly, crashing through the window of the Hall and sprinting towards the famed Whomping Willow.

Blaise watched him go worriedly, but made no move to stop him.

_Fallen, Draco. What's going on?_ he thought to himself, watching as the window was repaired with a flick of Dumbledore's wand.

Hermione watched as the Potion's Master, Severus Snape, walked briskly from the room.

_What's going on?_

---

Meanwhile, the Whomping Willow was slamming the Ford Anglia around like a toy car, while Draco, Harry, Ron, Fallen, who was still unconscious, and the recently arrived Yoko watched from the ground.

Draco was explaining how they'd escape to the fox, when Snape stormed up to them, the Anglia drove towards the forest.

Ron was nervously examining his wand, which had broken upon impact with the Willow.

"Professor." Harry whispered, eyes downcast.

Snape frowned slightly. _Where's Tarana?_

Yoko's eyes snapped to the Potion's professor. _'Tarana passed on months ago, Severus. Protecting Harry and his family from Arcana and Dark.'_

Snape hissed out a breath. _Just when I was beginning to enjoy the panther's company._ he muttered to himself sadly.

However, Snape wasn't a Slytherin for nothing.

"Come with me." he hissed, turning and walking into Hogwarts.

---

Snape led them to his office.

"What were you thinking?" he asked darkly. "Why did you take the car, when quite easily, you could've sent an owl?"

Draco shook his head. "They were hunting, sir. Hedwig and Cleo were going to meet us here." he said quietly.

Snape stared at his godson for a moment.

"How did you know about the car, Professor?" Harry asked hollowly.

Snape suppressed a wince. "You were seen." he murmured calmly tossing a copy of the _Evening Prophet_ across the desk.

Yoko's eyes glittered in the fire light as the three boys read the article.

"Now, had you been in my house, you would be expelled near immediately. However, the decision on how to punish you doesn't rest with me. Therefore, I must go fetch those who do." he stood and swiftly left the room, a flick of his wand had a rather large fire in the fireplace and a plate of sandwiches on the desk.

"Eat quickly." was the muffled order.

Snape returned with McGonagall, and soon after Dumbledore arrived as well.

Dumbledore looked grave as he began to request an explanation, when he saw the defeated posture of the Boy-Who-Lived, he stepped forward to speak quietly with the boy.

Well, that had been the plan.

A familiar feeling rose in Draco's chest, and the blond stepped protectively in front of Harry.

"Leave him along." he sneered, in the perfect Malfoy manner.

Dumbledore looked over his spectacles at him. "Mr. Malfoy-"

"No. You will **not** interrogate him, Professor." Draco snarled. "Leave him alone."

Dumbledore took in Harry's dim, thankful half expression, the other half hidden in the shadows of the firelight and nodded.

"I will leave it to Professor McGonagall to deal out the punishments."

Snape nodded and sat at his desk, waiting. McGonagall issued them all a detention, and left.

"Now, what happened, Harry, over the summer?" he asked, folding his hands on the desk in front of him.

Harry looked down at his knees.

"Harry. All I want to know, is what happened to Tarana? Who killed her?" the Potions professor said quietly.

"Arcana…he tore out her throat, Professor. He killed her and ran." Harry whispered as Fallen came to. "He's a coward."

"**Not a coward. On some level, Arcana knows what he did. Who he killed. He was running from the sight of his dead mate."** Fallen whispered.

'**Welcome back, Fallen.'** Matt muttered.

'_**Do you ever shut up, Matt?'**_

'**Not that I recall.'**

'_**Figures. I get the loudmouth.'**_

'**Nope. Just the sarcastic asshole.'**

'_**Sounds about right.'**_

Harry sighed quietly. "He still killed her. I don't know if I even want to forgive him."

"You do." Ron whispered. "If only because Tarana wanted you to."

Snape nodded. "Weasley. Potter, go back to your dorms. I will send Draco along momentarily."

Harry and Ron nodded before following Yoko to Gryffindor Tower.

Draco shifted to see his godfather better. "What's up?"

"Over the summer, Tarana came to see me. Probably right before the first mission Dumbledore send the three of you on." he said, looking at Fallen, and pulling out a ruby red box with a, to Fallen, familiar seal. "I was told, that should something happen to her, I needed to give this to Harry's closest friend." Snape set the box on his desk. "I saw the look in your eyes, Draco. You felt something when Dumbledore went to talk to Harry. What was it?"

Draco looked at his hands, "Fear. Complete and utter fear."

"**Your bond with Harry is stronger than we realized."** Fallen said. **"You felt Harry's fear…and confronted the source. For which I thank you. With Tarana gone, Yoko and I agree that Dumbledore will attempt to get Harry to turn to him. We need to keep him coming to us, even you Severus."**

Snape and Draco nodded. "Look at this later, Draco. For now, get out of my office."

Snape smirked.

Draco chuckled and, taking the box, left with Fallen.

'_**You worry for him.'**_ Fallen said.

'I do…you already know how I feel about him, Fallen. But how do I know that Tarana would approve?'

'_**Tarana intended for you two to get together. Come next year, I can almost guarantee that she'd drag Yoko and I into setting you two up.'**_

Draco chuckled sadly. 'Regular matchmaker.'

'_**Indeed.'**_

---

They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Password?" she asked.

Draco looked at Fallen, receiving a rather good impression of a shrug.

"**I wasn't a Guardian to Gryffindors. Slytherin common room would know me better than she does."**

"Wattlebird." Came a quiet voice.

Draco turned. "Harry?"

Harry was fiddling with his robes. "Can-can I talk to you?"

Draco nodded, waving Fallen through the portrait. "I'll call if we need you, Fallen." He whispered, walking towards his friend. "What's up?"

"You're the only one…who hasn't asked me if I was alright." Harry said quietly.

Draco winced. "I figured that you'd tell me if you wanted to. I wasn't going to push you for information you didn't want to give, especially when it was clearly obvious that you're not okay. You're grieving." _Among other things._

Harry smiled slightly. "Thanks."

"Blaise told me that I was the only one you reacted to over the summer. Why?"

Harry blushed, looking away from Draco's piercing eyes. "I don't know. I enjoy your company. The others skirt me, like I'm going to break at any time."

Draco nodded, eyeing the Boy-Who-Lived in mock suspicion. "You don't _look_ ready to break, Potter."

Harry laughed. "I'm not going to break, Dray. Not as long as I have friends to keep me whole." he answered, walking towards the gateway to the Gryffindor Common Room.

On impulse, Draco grabbed Harry's hand and pulled his friend into a hug. "We'll _always_ be here, Harry. Blaise and I, if no one else."

Harry closed his eyes tightly and gripped his friend like his life depended on it.

---

Harry went to bed that night, hope rising in his chest, despite the confusion floating around his head.


	6. Learning From Lockhart

This Chapter was Revised 8/31/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Six: Learning from Lockhart**_

The next day, Harry had returned to his melancholy state when he was with more people than just Draco or Fallen, more with Draco than Fallen.

---

Hermione said nothing to the three boys when she arrived to breakfast, but greeted Blaise kindly.

Neville and his falcon, Horus, were there as well.

He greeted all four of them happily.

They had just started their breakfast when the mail arrived.

Draco got him a letter from his father, who told him that he was 'disappointed in his son's maturity.'

But Ron...Ron got a Howler from Molly.

"Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you-"

Ron snarled at her. "Don't tell me I deserve it, Hermione."

"**No one deserves that kind of embarrassment, Granger."** Fallen said, watching as Ron stalked angrily from the Great Hall.

Harry shook his head slightly, wordlessly showing his disappointment at Hermione and walked out after Ron.

Blaise exchanged a worried look with Neville, before going back to his breakfast.

Another Gryffindor, Dean Thomas, whistled. "Daaamn."

Draco slammed his fork down and followed Harry and Ron, Fallen at his heels.

---

Blaise took Harry, Draco, and Ron's schedules when McGonagall came around with them and walked up with Neville to grab their books.

Harry, Ron, Draco, and Fallen were in the common room, Draco notably calmer, Ron still fumed a bit.

Blaise silently handed them their schedules and the seven of them walked to double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs.

---

Ron ignored Hermione, but the others, minus Harry and Draco, who were having a quiet conversation all their own, were perfectly happy to talk to her.

They reached the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept, and also happened to be Yoko's favorite place to be. However, as the fox's element was earth, it wasn't all that surprising.

The entire class was waiting for Sprout.

Fallen and Yoko lay nearby in the sun.

---

A few minutes later, Sprout stormed across the grounds with Gilderoy Lockhart.

Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her fly away hair, there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and fingernails that would have made Petunia faint.

Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming.

Draco huffed in disgust at the bright color of the professor's robes.

"Oh, hello there!" Lockhart called, beaming around at the assembled students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is. I just happened to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels…"

"**Man. This guy's even more full of himself than we are."** Matt muttered.

Fallen snorted.

"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" Sprout interrupted.

There was a murmur of interest.

_We've only worked in greenhouse one last year._ Harry murmured to himself.

Sprout unlocked the door, and before anyone could enter, there was a strangled noise of interest from Lockhart.

He'd obviously spotted Yoko who was entered the greenhouse ahead of the students.

Blaise and Draco both tensed, but the moment passed.

As Harry moved to follow Draco into the greenhouse, Lockhart grabbed his shoulder, despite Seamus' loud warning.

Fallen was off the ground and on Lockhart's chest in seconds. The red wolf had the hand that had touched the brunette's shoulder clamped between razor sharp teeth, and blood dripped down his muzzle.

Draco pulled a shaking Harry, who was unused to physical contact other than his friends, even before Tarana's death, into his arms.

"**You foolish fucking mortal. NEVER touch those under the guardians' protection. What part of this didn't you understand in Diagon Alley."** He snarled.

Lockhart laughed nervously.

"**You've got class, Potter."** Fallen said, releasing Lockhart.

Draco led Harry by the wrist into the greenhouse, Fallen sending one last glare at Lockhart before following.

"**Do not touch him again, human. Or I will go after your throat next."** the wolf growled.

---

As the class finally settled down, Sprout began. "We'll be repotting mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrakes?"

To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was in the air first, but Sprout, taken by a moment of surprise that someone else _besides_ Granger had raised their hands, called on Neville.

"Mandrakes are powerful restoratives. They can be used to return transfigured or cursed to their original state." He said nervously.

Sprout nodded to her favorite student. "Excellent, ten points to Gryffindor." She said. "Mandrakes form an essential part of most antidotes. Its also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

Hermione's hand almost took off Harry's glasses in her enthusiasm, and just to spite her, Draco also raised his hand and was called on.

"The noise the Mandrake makes is fatal to anyone who hears it." He said coolly.

Hermione sent him a mildly irritated glare, which he easily shook off.

"Precisely. Take another ten points." Said Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young." She gestured to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and the class moved forward for a better look.

A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in color, were growing there in rows. They looked a bit unremarkable.

"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs." Sprout said.

There was a scramble, of which only Hermione was a part of, thanks to Yoko, who brought Harry, Draco, Blaise, Ron, and Neville their own.

Yoko and Fallen lay outside, the door open so they could see the three chosen.

"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are _completely_ covered." Sprout said. "When it's safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right-earmuffs _on_."

Harry and the others snapped their earmuffs over their ears.

They shut out sound completely, although Draco was sure that had Fallen or Yoko spoken, they would've been heard.

Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.

Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.

Draco sneered at it in disgust.

_Malfoy Pride._ Harry murmured to himself.

Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Sprout dusted off her hands and gave them the thumbs up, then removed her own earmuffs.

"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill you." She stated calmly. "However, they _will_ knock you out for several hours, so make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I'll attract your attention when the time is up. Four to a tray-there is a large supply of pots here-compost in the sacks over there-and be careful of the Venemous Tentacula. It's teething."

---

Harry, Draco, and Ron, were joined by a curly haired Hufflepuff boy they knew by sight, but not name.

"Justin Finch-Fletchley." He said brightly, shaking hands with Ron, wisely keeping them off of Harry and Draco, but nodding politely to both. "That Lockhart's something, isn't he?" Justin said as they began to fill their pots with dragon dung compost. "Awfully brave chap. Have you read his books? I'd have died of fear if I'd been cornered in a telephone booth with a werewolf, but he stayed cool and –zap- _fantastic_."

"Personally, I think he's a fake." Draco drawled.

Justin stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. "A fake?"

"I've seen little proof that the man's done anything he says he's done."

Harry's eyes flashed with something Draco couldn't discern, and he shot his black-haired friend a worried look before they continued with their lesson.

---

After Herbology, the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration, Harry and Draco hanging back to talk quietly as they walked.

Blaise glanced back and smiled slightly at the semi-open expression on the Boy-Who-Lived's face.

_Wonder what they're talking about back there._ He mused.

---

McGonagall's classes were always hard work, but today seemed especially difficult.

They were supposed to be turning a beetle into buttons, but all Harry managed to do was give the beetle a lot of exercise as it scuttled over the desktop to avoid his wand.

By the end of class, Harry only had one transfigured button.

Draco and Harry watched with heavily veiled amusement, as Ron was having far worse problems.

He had patched up his wand with some borrowed Spellotape, but it seemed to be damaged beyond repair. It kept crackling and sparking at odd moments, and every time Ron tried to transfigure his beetle, it engulfed him in thick gray smoke that smelled of rotten eggs.

Unable to see what he was doing, Ron accidentally squashed his beetle with his elbow and had to ask for a new one.

McGonagall wasn't pleased.

---

Harry was relieved to hear the lunch bell, and by the looks of it, so were the others.

As everyone but he and the other three boys left, Harry walked over to where Ron had sat with Blaise.

"Stupid-useless-thing-"

"Why can't you write home for a new one?" Draco asked as the wand let off a volley of bangs.

"Oh yeah, and get another Howler back." Ron answered, stuffing the now hissing wand into his bag. "'_It's your own fault your wand got snapped._'"

They walked down to lunch, and this time, even Ron, in his foul mood, noticed the slightly happy expression on Harry's face as he talked with Draco, and that alone, helped to make him less angry.

Harry broke off half way through a whispered sentence to Draco when Fallen snapped at Hermione, who had been showing off the buttons she'd transfigured in Transfiguration.

"**Wench, if you don't put those damn things away and stop showing the fuck off!"** Harry and Draco turned to look at the wolf while the rest of the Gryffindor table fell silent.

Slowly, with an embarrassed flush, Hermione put the buttons in her bag.

Fallen glared once more at her before curling back under Draco's chair and going back to the still unidentified meat that came with every meal the students ate.

"What do we have this afternoon?" Blaise asked, breaking the silence.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione said quickly.

"Why?" Draco drawled coldly, taking her schedule, "did you outline all of Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?"

Hermione snatched the schedule back, blushing furiously.

---

After lunch, Draco and Harry sat on the front steps of the castle and continued their earlier conversation. They spoke of everything and anything, to keep their minds off of the missing presence of power that was in Tarana's every day.

Blaise, Yoko, Ron, Hermione, and Neville followed them and sat beside them, Hermione pulling out _Voyages with Vampires_ to continue reading.

It wasn't long after, that Harry felt eyes on him and looked up, halting his conversation with Draco.

A small, mousy-haired boy with a muggle camera stood a few feet away.

Draco narrowed his eyes on the first year and the boy turned a bright red.

"Harry? I'm-I'm Colin Creevey." He said, taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think-it would be alright if-" Colin trailed off, and began to stutter.

Fallen rolled his crimson eyes and asked in a bored, uncaring tone, **"Do you want a picture, kid?"**

Colin blushed and nodded.

"A picture?" Harry repeated blankly.

Draco wrapped a friendly arm around Harry and smirked. "You know you strike a pose, and someone takes a photo with one of those," He gestured to Colin's camera. "And you get a picture."

By now, the blond was shaking with suppressed laughter.

Harry glared playfully and Colin nodded happily. "So I can prove I met you," he said eagerly, edging forward a bit more.

Fallen and Yoko tensed.

"I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've got a lightning scar on your forehead."

Colin's eyes raked Harry's hairline and Draco sent a cold glare when Harry gave a shudder under his arm and leaned into it more.

Colin gulped and looked at the ground, continuing to speak. "And a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion the pictures'll move." The boy drew a shuddering breath. "It's _amazing_ here isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send to send home to him. And it'd be great if I could get one of you." He looked imploringly at Draco. "Maybe you're friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then could you sign it?"

Draco's glare shifted to someone behind Colin and Harry stepped back into Draco's embrace, shivering, and causing Draco to wrap the other arm around him in an effort to calm and comfort him.

"_Signed photos_? You're giving out _signed photos_, Potter?"

Loud and scathing, Draco's cousin, Katelyn Malfoy's voice echoed around the courtyard and drew attention. She had stopped behind Colin, flanked, as always when at Hogwarts, by her large and thuggish cronies Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

"Everyone line up!" Katelyn shouted to the crowd. "Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"

Harry bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut.

Draco unwrapped his arms and grabbed Harry's hand, pulling him into the school.

Ron and Blaise stood as soon as Harry's robes brushed through the doors.

"You're just jealous, Katelyn." Ron hissed.

"_Jealous_?" Katelyn asked in a scandalized tone. "Of what? That _faggot_?"

Yoko and Fallen both snarled, stalking towards the girl.

"**That **_**tongue**_** of yours has gotten quite flaunty since I last saw you."** Yoko sneered darkly.

Katelyn returned a sneer. "You're probably no different, _Yoko_." She hissed.

Fallen lunged, but hit something and he fell back landing on his feet dazedly shaking his head.

Katelyn smirked, fingering a black band on her finger. "You can't touch me." She stated.

Blaise clenched his fists and looked up hatefully at Katelyn. "Block this." He growled, and for the first time in his life, Blaise punched someone.

"_Blaise_!" Hermione said, shocked.

There was a short bark of laughter from behind them, probably Draco or Harry through the open door.

Katelyn looked up from where she sat on the ground, lip split and robes spread around her. "Y-You hit me."

Blaise glared at her for a moment, before walking inside, spotting Draco and Harry by the marble staircase and walking over.

Hermione, Neville, and Ron followed.

Draco patted him on the back. "You've got a hell of a right hook, Blaise. And here I thought mimicking was your only talent."

Harry smiled softly. "Thanks, Blaise." he whispered.

Blaise shrugged. "It was nothing. She was being rude to my friend…." Blaise trailed off, staring at the doors to the Great Hall. "Damn." he muttered.

"What's all this?" Lockhart was striding toward them, his turquoise robes swirling behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?"

Harry looked back at his friends for help getting away from the seemingly obsessed professor.

But the motion had 'drawn' Lockhart's attention.

"Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry!" The dirty blond idiot moved to put an arm around Harry's shoulders, but Draco pulled his fearful friend into his arms again.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with you?" he asked, pulling Harry by the hand up the stairs, and away from Lockhart.

---

Harry blinked slowly, his shaking stopping.

He looked up at Draco, who was staring at him worriedly.

"Harry. What's wrong?"

Harry looked at the floor. "I guess I'm just…scared. An entire year with Tarana protecting me…without her, I feel…exposed to any and all threats. When she was with me last year…I knew who was touching me was trustworthy and a friend…but now…now I have no idea anymore. I don't know who I can trust to touch and not hurt me." He whispered.

Draco looked at his friend for a long moment.

"I'll keep you safe, Harry. You're my friend. I don't want anything to happen to you." He said, finally.

Harry blinked when Draco hugged him tightly, but hugged him back anyway.

Draco squeezed his friend once, before pulling Harry through the doors of Lockhart's class and towards the very back.

Once there, Harry proceeded to avoid looking at anything with Lockhart's face on it, which was incredibly difficult, as Lockhart was most definitely in love with himself and hung pictures everywhere.

Draco eyed the real Lockhart darkly when he entered the room a couple minutes later.

---

As the rest of the class came in, Ron, Blaise, and Neville sat at the desk in front of Harry and Draco, while Hermione sat towards the front.

Ron turned and grinned at Harry before addressing Blaise. "I can't believe you clocked Katelyn Malfoy." He said.

Blaise blushed.

Draco chuckled and turned to tease Harry.

"You better hope Creevey doesn't meet Ginny, or they'll start a Harry Potter fan club." Draco whispered in the brunette's ear.

Harry mock-glared. "Shut up." He muttered, making sure Lockhart was far away.

The last thing he needed was for someone to tell Lockhart about a 'Harry Potter fan club'.

When the rest of the class was settled, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward and picked up Dean Thomas' copy of _Travels with Trolls_, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.

"Me." He said, pointing at it and winking as well.

Draco gagged quietly, probably for Harry's sake and just because he could get away with it. Regardless, Harry covered a snort with his hand.

"Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five time winner of _Witch Weekly_'s Most Charming Smile Award-but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by _smiling_ at her!" he waited, and got a few weak smiles.

'Somehow, I doubt that he got rid of that Banshee at all.' Draco smirked.

'**He didn't do more than smile, wink, blink at her and run. Lockhart's a git.'** Matt said, his last sentence coming out sing-songingly to Fallen.

'_**You're going to be difficult all year aren't you.'**_

'**How difficult was I last year?'**

'_**Difficult as a stick up a black bear's ass.'**_

'**I feel as if I've accomplished something.'**

Fallen snorted and playfully nipped at Draco's poking fingers. _**'What do you want?'**_

'What's Lockhart's favorite color?' Draco asked sarcastically. 'This entire quiz is on Lockhart and how friggin' well we know his ass.'

Fallen smirked.

'**I don't want to know his ass. It's too bright.'**

'_**Matt! Shut up!'**_ Fallen snarled.

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the 'quizzes'. "Tut, tut-hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac."

"**He says so in **_**Year with the Yeti**_**."** Yoko said boredly, spread out leasurely under the table Blaise was sharing with Ron.

Lockhart beamed at the fox. "And a few of you need to read _Wandering with Werewolves_ more carefully-I clearly state in-"

"**Chapter twelve, page one hundred and twelve that his ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non magic peoples."** Yoko stated boredly, again, Lockhart beamed at Yoko.

"Though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky."

He gave them all a wink.

Ron stared at the fox with an expression of disbelief.

Seamus Finnigan and Dean were shaking with silent laughter.

Draco and Harry had both buried their faces in their arms to hide their quiet laughter.

Blaise looked disgusted.

Hermione, on the other hand, was listening to Lockhart with rapt attention and gave a start when he mentioned her name. "…but Miss. Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is-"

"**Rid the world of evil and market your own range of hair-care potions."** Yoko interrupted.

Lockhart blinked. "Excellent!" he beamed, looking between Hermione and Yoko. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so-to business-"

He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.

Yoko tentatively sniffed the air and rolled his eyes. "Now-be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind. You may find yourself fighting your worst fears in this room. Know, that no harm can befall you wilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

Fallen moved so he sat facing the cage.

'**Let me get this straight-'**

'_**Literally hold that thought. I'm going to ask for you.'**_

"**Now, before you take that cover off, let me ask you. You brought Cornish Pixies, which are known for being some of the best pranksters of your world, to teach as a defense example?"**

Lockhart looked at Fallen and waved a finger annoyingly at him. "Don't be so quick to judge. Freshly caught Cornish Pixies have no master, but the one with the right spell."

Fallen smirked at Yoko and stood.

Yoko groaned quietly.

"**Lockhart, you've just challenged me."** The wolf said, tearing his eyes from Yoko.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, standing. "He did no such thing."

Draco stood as well, all laughter erased from his face. "Fallen is an expert at magical creatures in all shapes and sizes. Lockhart has questioned his knowledge."

"_Professor_ Lockhart, knows more than your _pet wolf_, Malfoy." A second year Hufflepuff girl stated.

Fallen snapped his fangs at her and she shut up. **"I am more than a pet, human. Watch your tongue."**

"**Open it."** Yoko stated, remaining where he was as Fallen walked up to sit before the class directly across from the cage.

Lockhart uncovered and opened the cage and the pixies rushed from it.

Fallen stood still, his eyes locked on Lockhart as they spread around him to the students.

Lockhart rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand and bellowed, "_Peskipiksi Pesternomi_."

The spell had no effect and Yoko snapped his fangs at two pixies attempting to grab hold of Neville's ears.

Fallen's lips pulled back to form a feral smirk before he tipped his head back and howled.

Unlike the howls that the school was used to, the near musical sound that came from the red wolf's throat had everyone quiet and watching as the pixies stopped trashing the room and swarmed to sway around Fallen as if dancing.

When the bell rang, Fallen stopped and followed Draco and Harry from the room.

The pixies went back to destroying Lockhart's classroom.

---

Draco grinned at his guardian as Hermione walked by them to walk with Parvati and Lavender.

"Hey Yoko," Harry said curiously, "you haven't _read_ those books, have you?"

Yoko snorted. **"Like I'd read that load of bull shit. I lifted the answers from his mind."**

Blaise laughed. "He doesn't seem to be what Dumbledore expected does he? _Peskipiksi pesternomi_." He mimicked perfectly.

The boys and guardians laughed.


	7. Insults and Whispers

This Chapter was Revised 9/2/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Seven: Insults and Whispers**_

The next day, Lockhart caught Harry once again being tormented by Colin Creevey. He talked the first year photographer into getting a picture of both of them before Fallen showed up growling with a not much different Draco.

For the rest of the week, Harry dodged Lockhart whenever the professor came walking down a corridor.

Harder to avoid, was Colin, who it seemed had memorized Harry's schedule.

At least until Friday afternoon when Draco's new found protective side reared its head again.

---

"That's IT! You creepy fucking stalker." He snarled, stalking the common room towards the boy, Malfoy glare turned to the fullest. "I swear, Creevey. If you don't fucking leave him alone I will fucking hex you from here to next fucking year!"

Colin had fled as soon as Draco turned around to glare at the common room, which had stopped to stare.

---

The next morning, Harry was shaken awake several hours earlier than normal by Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"Whassamatter?" the brunette asked sleepily.

"Quidditch practice!" said Oliver.

"Come on, and wake up Malfoy if he still wants to play Chaser."

Harry looked out the window and groaned.

"Oliver, it's the crack of dawn."

Oliver looked at him. "Exactly! It's part of our new training program. Come on! Grab your broom, your boyfriend-" Harry blinked and opened his mouth to protest, but was ignored. "and let's go." Oliver said heartily. "None of the other teams have started training yet; we're going to be first off the mark this year-"

Yawning, Harry kicked Oliver in the side and got out of bed.

"Good man." Oliver wheezed, rubbing his side. "Meet you on the field in fifteen minutes."

Harry stumbled over to his trunk, throwing his pillow at Draco, to search for his Quidditch robes.

"Harry." Draco growled. "It's the crack of fucking dawn."

Harry snorted.

Draco obviously wasn't an 'up at the crack of dawn' person like Oliver was. "I know, but Wood told me to wake you up if you still wanted to play Chaser."

Draco sat up slowly. "Harry."

Harry snickered. "Yes Draco?"

"It's the crack of dawn."

"I'm aware of that, thank you."

"What the _fuck_ is Wood doing up at the crack of dawn?"

"Waking us up for Quidditch practice."

Draco groaned, but got up.

"**You're all nuts."** Yoko muttered, yawning as Fallen leapt down to the floor and stretched.

'**Fallen.'** Matt whined. **'It's the crack of dawn. Sane people are still sleeping.'**

'_**It's a good thing you're not sane, nor a person, isn't it.'**_ Fallen retorted.

Matt was still tired. **'CRACK OF DAWN!!!'**

---

The two were almost at the portrait hole when there was a clatter behind them.

Colin came dashing down the stairs, camera swinging madly around his neck and clutching something in his hand. "I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, Harry. Look what I've got here! I've had it developed, I wanted to show you-"

Harry looked bemusedly at the photograph Colin had in his hand.

Draco snorted.

In the photo, a moving, black-and-white Lockhart was tugging hard on an arm Harry recognized as his own. He was pleased, and Draco amused, to see that his photographic self was putting up a good fight and refused to be dragged into view.

Draco laughed, as Lockhart gave up and slumped, panting against the white edge of the picture.

Colin glanced warily at Draco and asked quietly. "Will you sign it?"

"No." Harry stated softly, yet gave no allusions to the fact that he was firm in his answer. "Sorry Colin, we're in a hurry-Quidditch practice-"

He and Draco climbed through the portrait hole.

Fallen and then Colin followed. "Can I come-"

Fallen turned sharply. **"Will you shut up if I explain it to you?"** Colin nodded. **"Follow."**

Colin scrambled after Harry, Draco, and Fallen, listening as the red wolf explained the popular wizarding game.

---

The team was already in the changing room when Harry, Draco, and Fallen slipped into it.

Oliver and Draco were the only ones who looked truly awake.

Fred and George Weasley were sitting side by side, puffy eyed and tousle-haired, next to fourth year Alicia Spinnet, who Harry noticed, wasn't wearing her uniform.

The other chasers, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson, were yawning across from them.

Oliver showed them all three plans, each taking twenty minutes to explain. "So. Is that clear? Any questions?"

Draco snorted distastefully at Fred, who was drooling on a sleeping Alicia's shoulder.

"I've got a question, Oliver." George said.

Oliver's eyes lit up and Draco smirked.

"Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when they were awake. Their snoring is distasteful." he asked.

Oliver wasn't pleased. "Now listen here, you lot." He said, glowering at them all. "We should've won the Quidditch cup last year. We're easily the best team. But unfortunately-owing to circumstances beyond our control-"

Draco glared when Harry shifted guiltily in his seat. _That wasn't your fault, Harry…_.

Fallen looked sadly at the young blond.

'**He's protective. Why's that a bad thing you prude.'** Matt asked.

Fallen chuckled. _**'You don't see it? On a deep mental level, Draco blames Tarana for the way Harry came back to him. That its taking so long to heal wounds that he believes shouldn't have existed in the first place. However, on the same level, he's confused. Asking himself questions that he has no answers to.'**_

Matt was silent for a moment. **'You talk a lot more than I remember.'**

Fallen scowled. _**'See if I ever explain things to **_**you**_** again, Matt.'**_ He snarled, turning to watch Oliver approach Harry and Draco.

"Harry, Malfoy." Oliver greeted. "I asked Harry to bring you down, Malfoy, because Alicia has decided that she can't play in every game, but could be a second if we needed her to. I've seen you flying with Harry after practice, and you're a natural on a broom."

Draco smirked. "You want the two thousand and one my father bought last summer." He stated.

Oliver winced. "True."

Harry shook his head.

"Never try to pull the wool over a Malfoy's eyes, Oliver." Fred called hoarsely, winking sleepily at said blond.

Draco acknowledged him with a nod. "Alright. I'll play."

Harry grinned brightly at him.

Oliver nodded and stood

"Okay," Oliver said. "let's go out there and put our theories into practice." He walked out of the locker rooms, broom in hand.

Stiff-legged and still yawning, his team, minus Draco, who, even dressed in the gear Quidditch players wore for protection, looked the epitome of neatness.

---

As Harry and Draco walked onto the field, he saw Ron, Hermione, Blaise, Neville, and Yoko sitting in the stands.

"Aren't you finished yet?" Ron called incredulously.

"Haven't even started yet." Harry and Draco called back. Draco was amused at the jealous looks Harry was throwing at the toast and marmalade Ron and Blaise had brought out from the hall.

He and Draco mounted their broomsticks and kicked off the ground. The two second years soared around the stadium at full speed, racing Fred and George, and of course, each other.

---

Below them, Fallen sat beside Blaise, watching Draco and Harry easily out match Fred and George, performing daring tricks and stunts together.

When they finally slowed down, Fred asked, "What's that funny clicking noise?"

Draco looked into the stands and groaned.

Harry followed his gaze and slumped forward, attempting to bury his face in his arms on the front of his broom with little success.

Colin was sitting in one of the highest seats, camera raised and taking picture after picture, the sound strangely magnified in the deserted stadium.

"Look this way, Harry! This way!" he cried smiling.

"Who's that?" Fred asked.

"No idea," Harry lied, looking pointedly at Draco.

"What's going on?" Oliver asked, frowning as he soared easily through the air toward them. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training program."

"He's in Gryffindor." Draco said, in a bored tone. "And the Slytherins don't need a spy, Wood." He added.

"What makes you say that?" Oliver asked testily.

"Because they're here in person." Draco said, looking pointedly at the ground.

Several people in green robes were walking onto the field, broomsticks in their hands.

There was a minor confrontation, before Ron, Hermione, and Blaise followed Fallen and Yoko over.

Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team captain, announced that their team had both a signed note, and a new seeker. From behind the six large, bulky figures of the Slytherins, came the only female on the team. Katelyn Malfoy.

"Aren't you Nathan Malfoy's daughter?" Fred asked, looking at Katelyn with dislike.

Draco's gaze became icy. "You _bought_ your way onto an almost all boys Quidditch team." He drawled, eyeing the seven _Nimbus Two Thousand and One_'s that gleamed in their hands. "Aren't you _special_." Draco said, the last word more of a hiss, making Katelyn hide her flinch behind a sneer.

_I've got to admit-_ Harry thought. _The good thing about being raised Slytherin, is being able to insult where it hurts the most. And being a Malfoy, doing it in style._

"And seeing as how my own father was kind enough to buy me one of my own, it will be down to just _who_ the better fliers are won't it." Draco smirked. "And I wish you luck, Katelyn. Harry is by far the better Seeker. Broom model won't matter one bit."

Flint sneered. "You seem confidant."

Draco gave a cold chuckle. "I make it my business to know my family inside and out. Katelyn doesn't hold a candle of any kind against Harry. You're more than welcome to try, Kate."

Katelyn sneered again. "We'll have to see, won't we cousin. Oh, look," she said, eyes straying to behind the Gryffindors. "A field invasion."

Ron, Hermione, Blaise, and Yoko had arrived.

Fallen, the teams now noticed sat comfortably at Draco's side, a hungry look in his eyes.

Blaise took in the brooms, tense posture, and Draco's unflinching sneer at the female Malfoy.

"What's happening? Why aren't you playing and what's _she_ doing here?" Ron asked, taking in Katelyn's Quidditch uniform, and Katelyn, seeing an opportunity to save face, smugly told the group, "I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley. Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."

Ron gaped at the seven brooms.

"Good aren't they?" Katelyn said smoothly, and Draco tensed for the insult that would surely follow. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; a museum would bid for them."

The Slytherins howled with laughter. Draco opened his mouth to respond, but Hermione beat him to it.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to _buy_ their way in." she said sharply. "_They_ got in on pure talent."

Katelyn's smug look faltered. "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little mudblood."

The response was immediate, as the lions rose to protect their friend.

Draco had his wand on Katelyn in seconds, scrolling through curses he knew to cause pain, most of them Dark Magic.

Fred and George were stopped only by Flint stepping in front of Katelyn.

Fallen and Yoko both snarled, lethal fangs glinting in the morning light, however, they seemed to remember their last encounter and stayed put.

Ron was the one to act.

The curse left his lips, but backfired, sending Ron sprawling to the ground.

Neville and Colin ran up as the red head began to vomit up slugs.

The Slytherins laughed only for a moment, before Draco made up his mind. "_Incendio_." He whispered coldly, wand aimed for the broom that Flint was using as a crutch.

Flint flailed, waving the broom quickly trying to put it out before it ruined the broom and made it useless.

Harry and Blaise pulled Ron to his feet.

"Come on, Dray! We're taking him to Hagrid's." Harry called.

Draco stared for a moment longer before he turned and followed them as they left, hurrying towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest with Neville.

Fallen and Yoko bound after them.

---

None of them heard Katelyn whisper coldly. "Put it out."

And the answering strand of water that put out the flames on the broom as she glared after cousin.

"Nearly there, Ron." Said Blaise as the gamekeeper's cabin came into view.

They were within twenty feet of Hagrid's house when the front door opened and to Harry's displeasure, it wasn't Hagrid who emerged.

Lockhart emerged wearing robes of palest mauve today.

"Behind here." Harry hissed, dragging Ron and consequently Blaise, behind a nearby bush.

Hermione and the others followed.

"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart was saying loudly to Hagrid. "If you need my help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one-I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, good-bye!" And he strode away towards the castle.

Harry waited until Lockhart was out of sight, then pulled Ron out of the bush and up to Hagrid's front door.

Draco knocked urgently.

Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was. "Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me-come in, come in,-thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again-"

Harry and Blaise supported Ron over the threshold into the one-roomed cabin.

Hagrid didn't seem perturbed by Ron's slug problem, which Harry hastened to explain as the two boys lowered Ron into a chair.

"Better out than in," he said cheerfully, plunking a large copper basin in front of him. "Get 'em all up, Ron."

"Is there anyway to stop it?" Hermione asked.

"Not until he stops," Draco said, watching Ron coolly. "That was foolish, Ron. Using a broken wand like you did. That's a sophisticated curse." He stated.

Ron responded by barfing up more slugs.

"So tell me, who was he tryin' ter curse?" Hagrid asked.

"Katelyn called Hermione a mudblood." Harry murmured.

"He didn'" he growled at Hermione.

"He did." She said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course-"

Draco sighed.

"Granger, it's more than just a really rude insult. Mudblood's a foul word, a name, for someone who's muggle-born-non magic parents. There are wizards families, like mine-my entire bloodline, mind-who believe themselves to be better than others based on purity of blood. Pure bloods. Then there are families like Neville's and Ron's who don't care. The Potters were another. All of them were purebloods, but didn't believe themselves better. And all of them, Granger, are Gryffindors. If you ever visit the Slytherin common room, you'll be considered no better than a germ, just because of your blood."

"That's horrible." Hermione whispered, pale.

"But true." Blaise said. "It means dirty blood. Common blood. What most don't want to realize is that most witches and wizards are half bloods. Some families even marry cousins."

Draco nodded. "My mother and father are distant cousins, because somewhere along my line, the Black and Malfoy families had already married."

"Anyways, Harry." Hagrid said, changing the subject. "I hear you've bin givin' out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?"

Furious, Harry glared at his giant friend. "I have _not_ been giving out signed photos." He said hotly. "If Lockhart's still spreading that around-"

But than he saw Hagrid was laughing.

'Adorable. You're so adorable, Harry.'

Harry froze.

The voice was Draco's, but it had resounded through his skull like when he and Tarana had talked.

He looked at Draco, who was watching him with molten silver eyes.

Harry tilted his head to the side slightly and Draco nodded, standing gracefully from the chair he'd sat in.

"Harry and I are going to get changed. We'll see you back in the common room."

Harry watched Draco silently, and Yoko watched the flickering emotions finally settle. He watched as Harry ran to catch up with Draco's as the blond headed back up to the castle.

Fallen fell into step behind them.

---

"I heard you, Draco. Like I heard Tarana's projection."

Draco shrugged. "I swear I didn't mean to."

"**I don't doubt it, Draco. There are rumors that the Chosen have a bond. Connected as our own bond is. In theory, it would close the proverbial circle."**

"So…we can speak to each other?"

Fallen nodded. **"With practice."**

"Would you help us, Fallen?" Draco asked.

Fallen smirked. **"You had but only to ask. Yoko and I will help you to the best of our ability."**

Draco grinned. "Race you to the school, Harry." he called, sprinting the last few meters up to the castle doors.

---

The two had no sooner entered the castle, Harry just a step ahead of Draco, and Fallen loping patiently after them both, than McGonagall was on them.

"Potter! Malfoy!" McGonagall said, sternly, walking up to them. "You and Mr. Weasley will be serving your detentions this evening."

Draco swallowed. "What are we doing, Professor?" he asked, summoning his famed Malfoy pride.

McGonagall looked over her glasses at them. "Professor Snape has asked for your help in making a few potions for Madam Pomfrey. You, Mr. Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fanmail."

"And Ron?" Harry asked quietly, his eyes more distant, and avoiding eye contact with his Head of House.

"Mr. Weasley will be polishing trophies in the trophy room with Mr. Filch." She looked at them with her sharp gaze once more. "And please tell him it will be without magic."

Harry and Draco shared a worried look as McGonagall walked into the Great Hall for lunch.

With Ron's slug problem, Filch would have him there all night.

---

Which is _exactly _what Ron said when they told him so.

"Filch'll have me there all night! And no magic. There must be a hundred cups in that room. I'm no good at muggle cleaning!"

"I'd swap anytime, Ron." Harry said hollowly. "I've had loads of practice with the Dursleys. Answering Lockhart's fan mail…he'll be a nightmare…."

---

Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, with Fallen tutoring Harry and Draco in their mental communication and in what seemed like no time, it was five minutes to eight, and Harry was dragging his feet along the second floor corridor to Lockhart's office.

He gritted his teeth, reached for the remains of his emotional mask, and knocked.

The door flew open at once, as if Lockhart had stood behind it waiting for Harry to knock, and as Harry came face to face with the beaming face of his least favorite professor, he wished more than ever for Tarana.

"Ah, here's the scalawag!" he said. "Come in, Harry, come in-"

Harry gave a soft whine as he stepped over the threshold.

---

Lockhart droned on and on while Harry addressed the envelopes.

Hours passed and Lockhart's candles burned lower.

_Please…please let it nearly be time to leave._ Harry thought.

Then, he heard something.

Something quite apart from Lockhart's dying candles and annoying, unceasing prattle.

"_Come to me…Let me rip you…Let me tear you…Let me kill you…"_

Harry jumped and fear began to seep in.

---

Draco's head shot up from where he had let it lay, watching the cauldron.

Fallen looked at him.

_Fear…. Nothing but fear…._

Fallen nudged him sharply and Draco looked at the doorway.

Snape eyed him. "Harry." Draco whispered.

"You're dismissed." Snape said, moving out of the way.

Draco and Fallen sprinted past him.

Snape shot a worried look after them as soon as he was sure they were far enough away.

---

Harry ran.

He ran until he reached the hallway where he tripped and clattered to the ground.

Draco found him nearly hyperventilating.

Draco knelt beside him. "Harry?" Draco wrapped an arm slowly around his shoulder.

Fallen crouched low beside the two as Harry launched himself at Draco, shaking.

Harry whimpered and clung to Draco.

"What happened, Harry?" Draco asked.

Harry shivered. "I heard something. I've no idea what it is, who it was. Lockhart didn't hear it." The brunette whispered.

Draco tightened his hold on the boy in his arms. His eyes flashed dangerously.

Fallen sniffed.

"What happened, Harry? Why were you running?" Draco asked.

Fallen growled, traces of an unfamiliar, reptilian scent broke through the fear and anger surrounding Harry and Draco.

'**What the fucking hell smells **_**that**_** bad?'** Matt asked.

Fallen whined, silently at Matt's inability to shut up.

Fallen felt the wolf's mind sharpen. **'Arcana's watching. He's not moving, just…watching…'**

Fallen's eyes narrowed slightly.

---

Slowly, Harry calmed enough to tell Draco exactly what he heard.

Draco pulled Harry to his feet. "And Lockhart said he couldn't hear it?" Draco asked, frowning.

Harry mutely shook his head.

"You thing he was lying? I don't get it-" he looked at Fallen, tense beside them.

Fallen's voice came back to him.

_**---**_

"_**Concentrate on your contact. For the moment, think of nothing else but that person, and the message."**_

_**---**_

"Come on. This isn't the place for this."

---

Draco led him to the Gryffindor common room, and sat him down, keeping his arm around his shoulders to give him something to ground himself to.

"Even someone invisible would've had to open the door. Do you think he was lying?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. I don't get it either…what was it? Why was _I_ the only one to hear it?" he whispered, looking out at the night.


	8. Nick's Deathday and the First Attack

This Chapter was Revised 9/2/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Eight: Nick's Deathday and the First Attack**_

October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle.

Harry suffered from nightmares that woke even Neville, the heaviest sleeper of the Gryffindor boys with his screams.

Draco, being the lightest sleeper was always aware of the impending nightmares through his friend's whimpers.

Twice, Hermione had bullied Harry into going to Madam Pomfrey for Dreamless Sleep Potions.

---

For days, rain thundered on Hogwarts turning everything to mud.

Despite the non-stop rain, Oliver's enthusiasm for regular training sessions, however, never seemed to be dampened.

Which was why, exhausted and drenched to the skin and splattered with mud, Harry and Draco, Harry more exhausted than Draco for obvious reasons, were making their way back to Gryffindor Tower one Saturday a few days before Halloween.

---

Aside from all of the rain and wind, Fred and George, who had taken it upon themselves to spy on the Slytherin team, reported that the Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones were what they were rumored to be.

Draco had scowled at their stupidity all afternoon.

---

As Harry, Draco, and the blessedly clean Fallen made their way along a deserted corridor, they came across someone who was incredibly preoccupied.

Fallen raised his head to look at Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor Tower, who was staring morosely out of a window, muttering.

From the distance, the wolf made out a few of the words the ghost was muttering to himself. "…don't fulfill their requirements…half an inch, if that…"

'**What the hell is the psycho-ghost up to how?'** Matt wondered.

'_**Hush you. And I thought the Friar was the psycho-ghost last year.'**_

'**Well the Friar doesn't talk to windows.'** Fallen refrained from banging his head against the wall and began to ignore the animal.

By now, Harry and Draco had engaged in conversation with Nick.

Fallen's head shot to the side.

Arcana prowled the shadows, making no effort to conceal he was there from the wolf.

Tilting his head, the white tiger slipped around the corner.

Tentatively sniffing, pointed ears swiveling to detect sound, Fallen looked around for Dark.

He wasn't the best tracker, but he was almost positive.

Dark wasn't there.

Ignoring Draco for the moment, Fallen took off after Arcana.

---

It didn't take long. Arcana sat two corridors away; tail flicking as he regarded the red wolf sadly.

"**Fallen."**

Fallen growled. **"Arcana. What do you want?"**

Arcana lowered his head. **"For you to pay attention. I need you to listen to me Fallen. And don't interrupt me. I doubt that Dark will return, but I can't be sure."**

Fallen's eyes flickered. **"You're breaking it."**

Arcana nodded. **"Tarana's death, I think, made Dark's hold begin to fade. It **_**is**_** stronger when he's around, so I need to get through this now. Tom Riddle's diary has reentered the school. I have no idea who has it, but we both know that it can't stay with them. Unlike me, you and Yoko can move around the school."**

Fallen stared at Arcana.

"**I need you to find that diary. For the time being, appearances must be kept…and for the record…I'm sorry."** Arcana stood and walked away. F

allen narrowed his eyes and turned. _**'Fallen. Return to your chosen, try to keep an eye on mine. I'm watching. Always. Whether I can act on it or not.'**_ Arcana's voice rang. _**'In three days, Dark will return.'**_

Fallen curled his lip into a smirk and howled victoriously, beginning to run.

_We have plans to make. Plans to put further into motion._ He murmured.

Yoko would need to be informed.

---

Fallen clamored through the portrait hole, only slightly annoyed when one of the twin's annoying, but not quite idiotic experiments flew by.

Yoko snorted, when the stotic wolf only blinked, one eye widening in the animalistic form of a raised eyebrow.

---

Three days later, on Halloween, Harry, Draco, Blaise, Fallen, and Yoko all traveled to the dungeons, where Nick's 'deathday' party was taking place.

It was boring…until Dark and Arcana prowled into the room.

Dark smirked at the guardians. _**'He's making an entrance all right, Fallen. Just not the one we were expecting.'**_

'**No,'** Matt drawled sarcastically, **'Ya think?'**

'_**Shut up, Matt. These two killed Tarana. I need you sharp.'**_

'**Gotcha.'**

The ghosts around the room parted, despite not having to, for Dark and Arcana to enter.

Nick shivered slightly behind Harry, Blaise, and Draco.

"I think," Draco murmured. "That your party just got a bit more interesting, Nick."

The three chosen drew their wands, and held them ready to use if needed. Harry's eyes hardened when he saw Arcana.

The anger that he had long expected finally rising at the sight of his guardian's killer.

Sparks emitted from the boy's down pointed wand, and Fallen glanced at it warily. _Arcana's finally beginning to break the mind control Dark has over him. I can't have Harry killing him as he finally begins to get over Tarana's death._ He murmured to himself.

Yoko emitted a vicious hiss as Dark and Arcana began to walk towards them.

Fallen crouched low.

"**We wished to give young Harry our condolences on his guardian's death."** Dark said, smirking at Harry. **"And warn him not to get too comfortable."**

Dark lowered his head, as if bowing to the chosen. Quite suddenly, the majority of the ghosts turned towards the group of mortals and guardians.

They tensed.

Dark looked up and smirked.

Fallen growled. **"Dark…"** he growled warningly.

Dark's smirk grew. **"Have fun. And Happy Halloween."**

Fallen snarled.

Arcana smirked. **"Apparently we're not wanted, Master."**

Dark chuckled. **"So it would seem. Come along, Arcana. Let's leave them to mourn."**

Dark turned, and thus missed Arcana's eyes darken with sorrow for a moment.

Fallen whined quietly as the black wolf walked away.

Yoko discreetly nuzzled the white tiger before he turned and followed the Mind Manipulator.

---

The party didn't last long after that.

The Gryffindors led their guardians up from the dungeons.

Then Draco felt Harry stiffen.

"Harry?"

Harry's eyebrows furrowed in concentration, and he held up a finger to keep him quiet. "Does anyone else hear that?"

"Hear what Harry?" Blaise asked.

Draco's eyes narrowed. "Is it the same thing from a few days ago?" he asked.

Harry tilted his head. _"…rip…tear…kill…"_

He nodded. "Yeah. It's the same thing. But what is it."

Yoko's ears flicked, but didn't pick up any sound. A voice nor otherwise.

"Its moving." Harry muttered, almost to himself.

Fallen glanced around. **"Can you tell where?"**

Harry nodded distractedly and led them up the stairs. _"…soo hungry…for so long…"_

Harry moved faster, twisting up the marble staircase up to the first floor.

Draco and Blaise sprinted after him.

Fallen and Yoko followed at a slower pace, attempting to search out the sound and keep their chosen in sight.

"…_kill…time to kill…"_

Harry led them up to the second floor, where he heard the voice again.

"…_I smell blood…. I SMELL BLOOD!"_

"It's on this floor somewhere. I think it's going to kill someone." He murmured.

Draco hissed out a breath and Blaise paled.

Fallen tilted his head upwards. **"Norris!"**

"What?"

"**Mrs. Norris shrieked. You're sure it's on this floor, Harry?"** Yoko asked.

Harry nodded. "Its gone now though. I can't hear it anymore."

Fallen's eyes narrowed, his mind working to piece together the puzzle.

Fallen began to walk forward. His paws splattered and he looked around.

There was a huge puddle of water on the ground.

Blaise whistled, more to relieve his nerves than anything else, but it turned into a hiss when they reached a wall.

Words were written about a foot off the floor on the wall.

The substance was shining in the light cast by the flaming torches.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

Draco's eyes were wide. "We need to get out of here."

"But what about Mrs. Norris?" Harry asked.

Draco shook his head. "If that message is true, she's probably dead. We _need_ to go, guys."

Blaise placed a hand on his shoulder. "She's not dead, Draco. She would've fallen."

Draco glanced at him.

"What do you mean?" Blaise pointed at a shadow on the wall.

Below the words, Mrs. Norris hung from one of the torch brackets by her tail.

Yoko sniffed at the cat for a moment and shook his head. **"I don't know what caused it, but she's petrified. Stiff as a board."**

Fallen murmured silently to himself for a moment, putting the pieces together.

Everyone suddenly froze, the sound of many approaching footsteps were heard.

The Halloween Feast was over.

---

The corridor was suddenly filled with students and the chatter died almost instantly as they saw the gruesome sight.

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods."

Draco spun on his heel and glared at Katelyn.

She had pushed to the front of the crowd and her cold eyes were alive.

She was grinning at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.

Draco's eye narrowed on her.

'Fallen. Don't let her keep talking. She understands the message the same as I do.'

Fallen stalked from the shadows and snapped his fangs at Katelyn, making her take a step back and into the crowd, seeming to forget that he couldn't touch her.

From the other side, Yoko forced the students back with a few well placed vines, which twined there way up about waist height, a barrier to keep the students form getting any closer.

The fox had said nothing about how much easier it was to use his elemental magic at Hogwarts after his encounter with Harry at the end of last year, but he was sure that they would figure out the reason soon enough.

The hallway, was completely and utterly silent, everyone taking in the sight of the cat.

Draco, Harry, and Blaise stood in the middle with the crowd of students, the petrified cat and shimmering message behind them.


	9. The Message

This Chapter was Revised 9/2/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Nine: The Message**_

Most likely attracted by Katelyn's shout, the voice to break the curious/terrified silence was Argus Filch's.

"What's going on here? What's going on?"

The crowd parted silently and his gaze fell on Mrs. Norris and he fell back, clutching his face in horror. "My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?!" he shrieked.

His popping eyes fell on Harry and Draco. "_You!_" he screamed. "_You!_ You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll-"

"**Argus."** Yoko snapped. **"That's an accusation you **_**don't**_** want to make to a Chosen."**

Dumbledore and numerous teachers arrived on the scene. "That's enough, Argus."

Seconds later, he had Mrs. Norris detached from the torch bracket and was moving down the hallway.

"Come with me, Argus. You, too, Misters Potter, Malfoy, Zabini."

Lockhart stepped up beside him. "My office is nearest, Headmaster-just upstairs-please feel free-"

"Thank you, Gilderoy." Dumbledore said.

Lockhart, Snape, and McGonagall followed the Headmaster and Gryffindors.

In Lockhart's office, Lockhart lit candles on his desk and stood back.

Dumbledore lay Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her.

Harry, Draco, and Blaise sat into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching.

Fallen and Yoko sat in front of them, and Snape stood behind them, watching as McGonagall and Dumbledore looked over the cat.

Yoko watched Filch's sob silently for a moment before he stood and walked over, putting his paws on the caretaker's knees, he nuzzled his chin silently.

'_**I'm sorry, Argus.'**_ He murmured.

Fallen rolled his eyes. **'He seems to comfort everyone doesn't he.'**

'_**Shut up, Matt. Now's not the time.'**_

'**Oh, but it's the time for Lockhart to spout off curses that don't exist?'**

'……' Fallen looked over at the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

Indeed he was spouting off curses that he'd never heard of and most likely, as Matt pointed out, didn't exist anywhere outside his books and imagination.

At last, Dumbledore straightened. "She's not dead, Argus."

Filch looked away from the piercing green eyes of the silver fox and over at Dumbledore. "Not dead?" he choked, glancing at Mrs. Norris. "Than why's she all-stiff and frozen?"

"**She's been petrified, Argus. We don't know why."** Yoko said for the headmaster, who frowned thoughtfully.

"Ask _them_!" Filch shrieked suddenly.

Snape sneered at him. "There is no second year in the entirety of Hogwarts that could possibly do that to your cat, Filch. Mr. Potter and his friends are innocent."

Filch floundered for a moment, staring at Snape. "But you saw what he wrote on the wall. He knows I'm a-a-a Squib."

"I believe, that Mr. Potter and his friends were merely in the wrong place…at the wrong time."

"We will be able to cure her, Argus. Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they've reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris." Dumbledore stated patiently.

"I'll make it." Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep-"

"Excuse me," Snape said icily. "But I believe I am the Potions Master at this school."

Draco muttered quietly. "As if we'd feed any potion that git made to any living thing. We all value life too much."

Snape smirked and an awkward silence followed Draco's comment.

"You may go." Dumbledore said.

Draco sneered at him, and led the two other Gryffindors, the two guardians, and Snape out of the room.

Snape motioned them to the dungeons, where he then let them into his office and sat them around the room with mugs of hot chocolate and sandwiches.

"How did you know that we hadn't eaten?" Harry asked, blinking at the sandwiches.

Snape smirked. "Zabini's stomach."

Blaise blushed and the two canines snorted.

"**Did you know Filch was a squib, Snape?"** Yoko asked.

Snape nodded. "It's well known among the professors."

Draco sighed.

"We're avoiding what we really need to talk about." Harry said quietly. Snape looked over at him. "The attack."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say anything, because I was warned the other night that hearing voices isn't good. But I trust you, Professor."

Draco hid his amused grin behind his mug.

Snape shook off his surprise. "Since my detention with Lockhart, I've been hearing a voice. I don't know who it is, or if it's a what. I just know that its favorite word is 'kill'."

Snape steepled his fingers. "This has been happening for three days?"

Harry shook his head. "No. I only heard it that day in Lockhart's office and then again tonight on our way up to the Great Hall."

Snape raised a brow. "Up?"

Blaise shrugged. "Harry and Draco got us invited to Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party." He said dryly.

Harry and Draco smiled sheepishly. "Won't lie that we found out he was a squib that day though." Draco drawled.

Snape sighed. "I'll see what I can do about this…voice, of yours, Potter. However, I make no promises."

Harry nodded. "Thank you."

---

For the next few days, the school talked of little else but the attack on Mrs. Norris.

Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she'd been attacked, as if he believed the attacker would come back.

Ginny seemed incredibly disturbed by Mrs. Norris' fate, but Ron put it off as she was an utter cat lover.

Hermione spent a lot of her time in the library.

And it wasn't the next Wednesday that the group found out what she was up to.

Draco and Harry walked into the library to work on their History of Magic essay with Ron and Blaise, after pausing to talk with Snape about the research he'd done on the Chamber of Secrets.

It wasn't anything that Draco already knew.

As they sat down and listened to Ron complain about the length of his essay, Hermione walked out of the stacks and over to them.

"All of the copies of _Hogwarts, A History_ have been taking out. And there's a two-week waiting list. I _wish_ I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."

Harry looked at her oddly. "Why do you want it?"

Hermione scoffed, as if he should know this. "The same reason everyone else wants it. To read up on the Chamber of Secrets legend."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I'll tell you after History of Magic, Granger." He said as the bell rang. "The story's known to all of the Slytherins."

Harry half-smirked at him. "And you were raised as one."

Draco stuck his tongue out at him and they headed towards History of Magic.

---

During History of Magic however, one of the students asked about the chamber, and as Binns was about to return to his lesson and ignore them, Draco, without lifting his head from his arms, making his voice half muffled, explained.

"We all know that Hogwarts was founded by the witches and wizards that our Houses are named after. Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together in an age where magic was feared by common people and witches and wizards suffered from prosecution." He opened his eyes and noticed that all eyes were on him, Binns included. "For years they worked in harmony together, seeking out students who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to learn it. Then disagreements began to form. A gap was beginning to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students. He wished to teach only pure bloods, hence that his House is full of all pure bloods, and disliked teaching those of muggle parentage, believing them untrustworthy. Not long after, a huge argument occurred between Gryffindor and Slytherin and Slytherin left the school." Draco shifted his head to look at Binns, still not raising it. "Reliable historical sources tells you this much. However, there's a legend, that's passed down through most Slytherin households. That of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing about. Slytherin then sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his true heir returned to the school. That heir alone would be able to open the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror, whatever that may be, onto the students and use it to purge the school of all that he believed unworthy to study magic." There was silence.

"The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course." Binns said. "Naturally the school has been searched many times for evidence of such a chamber. It does not exist."

Draco looked faintly annoyed.

"What do you mean by the horror within the Chamber, Draco?" Hermione asked.

Draco sat up with a shrug. "No one knows. Its supposed to be some monster that only the Heir of Slytherin could control."

Fallen's eyes got wide, and he shot a look at Yoko, who was staring at him in horror.

Both were reaching the same conclusion.

---

After class, they were walking the corridors to drop off their bags before dinner and they reached the corridor where the attack had happened.

"Can't hurt to have a look around, could it?" Blaise asked, noting that Filch was nowhere to be found.

Draco shrugged and walked around.

They'd only been looking for a few minutes when Hermione spoke up. "Come and look at this!"

Harry and the others walked over.

Draco curled his lip. "That's…"

Around twenty spiders were scuttling, apparently fighting to get through a small crack. A long silvery thread was dangling like a rope, as though they had all climbed it in their hurry to get outside.

"You ever seen spiders act like that?" asked Blaise.

The others shook their heads, except for Ron, which caused Harry to glance back at him curiously and pause.

Ron was standing away from them and seemed to be fighting the urge to run. "What's with you?" Blaise asked.

"I-don't-like-spiders." Ron said tensely.

"I never knew that." Hermione said, looking at Ron in surprise. "You've used spiders in Potions loads of times…"

Draco shook his head sadly. "Ron…"

"I don't mind them dead. I don't like the way they move…." Hermione giggled and Blaise snorted.

"Its not funny." Said Ron fiercely. "If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my-my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick…. You wouldn't like them either if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and …"

He broke off, shuddering.

Hermione was obviously still trying not to laugh.

Draco obviously didn't care as much for being kind at this point, as he was laughing and leaning against Harry for support.

Harry shook his head. "Ron…"

Hermione calmed herself and looked around, searching for a change of topic.

"Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from? Someone's mopped it up."

"It was around here." Ron said, glaring at Draco as he walked a few paces past Filch's chair. "Level with this door."

He reached for the brass doorknob, but suddenly withdrew his hand as though burned.

Draco snorted. "What's the matter, Ron? Spider?"

Ron glared at him. "No. It's the girl's toilet."

Draco rolled his eyes. "That's Myrtle's place, moron." Draco said, opening the door and walking in.

It was the gloomiest, most depressing bathroom they'd ever set foot in.

Looking around, Yoko and Fallen took note of the large cracked and spotted mirror, a row of chipped sinks, the damp floor, stubbed candles, and wooden doors, one of which was dangling off its hinges.

Draco led them to the stall at the end. "Evening Myrtle. How are you?"

Myrtle smiled at the blond. "Hello, Draco. I'm fine, thank you."

Harry backed away from her, flashes of dead blue eyes flashing in his mind, and Myrtle's smile dropped.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked sharply.

Draco turned sharply as Harry hit the ground with a thump. "Harry!"

Fallen nuzzled the brunette gently. **"He's alright, Draco. I think the dead look in Myrtle's eyes reminded him of…"**

"Of Tarana." Draco whispered.

Myrtle was obviously not happy with Draco's lapse in attention, and took it out on the wolf.

"I wish people would stop talking behind my back." Myrtle said. "I do have feelings, you know, even if I _am_ dead-"

Draco didn't spare her a glance as he picked Harry up gently. "Myrtle, no one wants to upset you. I'm sorry-"

"No one wants to upset me! That's a good one!" Myrtle cried out pitifully. "My life was nothing but misery at this place and now people come along ruining my death!"

Draco stood and turned to her, his eyes flashed and Myrtle shut up. "We wanted to ask if you've seen anything outside lately." He stated in a voice that left no argument that he was upset with the ghost. "Mrs. Norris was attacked outside your front door on Halloween."

Myrtle sniffed. "I wasn't paying attention." She said dramatically. "Peeves upset me so much I came in here and tried to _kill_ myself. Then of course I remembered that I'm –that I'm-"

Ron opened his big mouth. "Already dead." He supplied helpfully.

Draco turned sharply, and turned his icy eyes on Ron.

Seconds later, they were drenched as Myrtle dove head first into the toilet, splashing water all over them.

The cold water woke Harry with a gasp. The sharp movement almost made Draco drop him.

He ignored Myrtle's muffled sobs as he knelt to let Harry lay against him, using his leg to support his back. "You alright?"

Harry nodded slowly, a deep flush creeping over his features.

Fallen smirked at Yoko.

"Can you stand without falling into the sea of water?" he asked, amusement creeping into his tone at the sight of his friend's blush.

---

Hermione had barely closed the door on Myrtle's gurgling sobs when a loud voice made all three of them jump.

"RON!" Percy Weasley had stopped dead at the head of the stairs, prefect badge agleam, an expression of complete shock on his face. "That's a _girl's_ bathroom!" he gasped. "What were _you_-?"

"Just looking around," Ron shrugged. "Clues, you know-"

Percy swelled in a manner that reminded Yoko of Molly Weasley. "Get-away-from-there-" Percy said, striding toward them and starting to bustle them along, flapping his arms.

Draco glared at him when he got too close to Harry and the boy, who had yet to release the blonde's forearm, tightened his grip.

"Kindly, Mr. Weasley, keep your mouth shut or your tone down. There's no reason for your big nose to be up here anyway." Draco drawled, eyeing Percy nastily.

Percy reddened. "Five points from Gryffindor!" Percy hissed. "And let it teach you a-"

Draco was now in Percy's face, whispering in his ear. "I don't like you, Weasley. Take as many points as you like, it won't change. I'm not your brothers, nor am I a 'pure hearted Gryffindor'. I was raised a Slytherin. What does that tell you?" he pulled back, eyes flashing dangerously. "You're not high and might, Weasley. Watch your step, or I'll make sure you don't become Head Boy next year." He smirked, pulling his arm gently to urge Harry to move as the group walked away.

---

Harry and Draco sat watching Ron set his Charms homework on fire that evening. S

aid red head slammed his copy of _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2_ shut.

Hermione followed suit.

"Who can it be, though?" she said in a quiet voice, as though continuing a conversation they had just been having. "Who'd _want_ to frighten all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?"

Blaise leaned back, running the tip of his quill against his lip in thought. "We know it's a Slytherin. Only a Slytherin could _be_ Slytherin's Heir. If we're to believe Draco's story."

Draco closed the book he and Harry had been sharing, the blonde too lazy to go up and get his own.

"Let's think," Ron said in mock-puzzlement. "Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?" He looked pointedly at Draco, who shook his head.

"If your talking about Katelyn-" he started, only to be cut off by the irate red head.

"Of course I am! You heard her-_'You'll be next, Mudbloods!'_-come on, you've only got to look at her foul rat face to know it's her-"

Draco slammed his hand on the table, cutting him off. "One, despite how much I hate her, Ronald, she is my cousin, and therefore her appearance reflects mine. Don't insult it. Second, the Malfoys are in no way related to Slytherin. Maybe hundreds of years ago our lines crossed, but that's all. We're not direct descendants, and therefore are unable to be the Heir of Slytherin. Hold your tongue until you know all the facts, would you. This is what got you into trouble last year." He snorted and leaned back in his chair, shooting a glare at Percy who was staring at them with a look of disapproval on his features.

He looked away when Draco's eyes flashed. He turned back to see the wheels turning in Hermione's mind.

"You'll find out nothing in the Slytherin common room, Granger." Hermione winced. "And no, I won't go ask for you. Everything my cousin knows, I know. I probably know more than she does."

"**If you don't believe him, Granger, try the Polyjuice Potion. You can get your ridiculous answers."** Fallen snapped at her, when a look of disbelief flickered across her face.

"The what?" Ron said, blinking.

Fallen rolled his eyes.

"**The Polyjuice Potion, Ron, pay attention in your classes. Snape mentioned it to you in class a few weeks ago."** Yoko said, looking over at them, ignoring Ron's mutter, he continued. **"It transforms you into somebody else. Only for an hour. You can find the directions for it in a book from the Restricted Section. **_**Moste Potente Potions**_**. Don't ask where the hell these people come up with their names."**

"How would we get it though?" Hermione asked quietly.

Harry looked up from his parchment.

There was only one way to get a book from the Restricted Section: You needed a signed note of permission from a teacher.

Draco's mind was running. There were two potential teachers they could go to, Snape or Lockhart.

Snape would question them and most likely get the answer from either Ron or Hermione.

Lockhart on the other hand….

He looked up at Harry. "As much as I hate this, we could probably get one of the teachers to sign for it."

"Oh, come on, no teacher's going to fall for the fact that we just want a book for theory." Ron said. "They'd have to be really thick…."

Draco smirked. "That's what I'm counting on."


	10. Dobby's Bludger

This Chapter was Revised 9/6/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Ten: Dobby's Bludger**_

Since the disastrous episode with the pixies, Lockhart hadn't brought live creatures to class.

Instead he read passages from his books to them and sometimes reenacted some of the more dramatic bits.

He usually attempted to pick Harry for these reconstructions, but most of the time, Fallen or Yoko took his place with a well placed snarl or in Fallen's case, very real death threat.

It seemed the red wolf's patience with the moronic professor was wearing thin however, and it showed to those who knew him in his snappy answers.

Yoko usually attempted to sooth him, but it was difficult.

---

The next Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Harry semi-willingly played the part of a werewolf, mainly to keep Lockhart happy so that Draco or Hermione, most likely Hermione if the look on her face that morning had anything to say about it, could get Lockhart to sign the paper that would get them _Moste Potente Potions_.

"Nice loud howl, Harry-exactly-and then, if you'll believe it (_Which I don't._ Harry thought.), I pounced-like this-_slammed_ him to the floor-thus-with one hand, I managed to hold him down-with my other, I put my wand to his throat-I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm-he let out a piteous moan, go on, Harry-higher than that-good-the fur vanished-the fangs shrank-and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective-and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks."

The bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet. "Homework-compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of _Magical Me_ to the author of the best one!"

The class began to leave and Harry almost ran to the back of the classroom to get away from Lockhart where the group was waiting for him, rubbing his arms as if it would destroy any and all traces of Lockhart from it.

"Ready?" Harry murmured, glancing hatefully at Draco for making him go through that. Draco gave him one of his most sincerest apologetic looks before his mask was back in place.

"Wait till everyone's gone," Hermione answered nervously. "All right…"

She approached Lockhart's desk, a piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand, Ron, Blaise, and Yoko behind her. Draco pulled Harry onto the desk beside him, and watched with one eye as he waited with Harry, as far away from Lockhart as possible, and drew him into conversation about Quidditch.

When he passed by to leave the classroom after the others, Lockhart ignored the fact that he was talking to Draco and called out to Harry.

"So, Harry, Tomorrow's the first Quidditch match of the season, I believe Gryffindor against Slytherin, is it not? I hear you're a useful player. I was Seeker, too. I was asked to try for the National Squad, but preferred to dedicate my life to the eradication of the Dark Forces. Still, if ever you feel the need for a little private training, don't hesitate to ask. Always happy to pass on my expertise to less able players…."

Draco put on his best sneer. "I'm sure that if Harry needed you're assistance Professor, it would be unwise for him to accept it. As he'd most likely end up further into the dirt than he wants to be." He grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him out before Lockhart could pick out the insult.

"I don't believe it." Blaise said when they caught up. "He didn't even _look_ at the book we wanted."

"That's because he's a brainless git." Draco drawled, eyeing the enormous loopy signature. "But we've got what we need."

"He is _not_ a brainless git." Hermione said shrilly as they half ran (walked quickly in Draco's case) towards the library.

Harry shook his head. "Hermione. He's a brainless git."

They dropped their voices as they entered the muffled stillness of the library.

Madam Pince, the librarian, was a thin, irritable woman who looked like an underfed vulture.

"_Moste Potente Potions_?" she repeated suspiciously, trying to take the note from Hermione; but Hermione wouldn't let go.

"I was wondering if I could keep it." She said breathlessly.

Draco rolled his eyes and walked forward to pry the note from the bookworm's grasp. "Please. Lockhart will sign anything as long as it sits still. We'll get you another fucking autograph."

Pince looked at him sharply. "Language, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco gave her an apologetic smile. "I apologize Madam, it's been a long day."

Fallen gave a sharp snort when she gave him a sympathetic smile and walked off into the back to retrieve the book for them.

"**You play with all women's hearts Draco, or just the professors?"** Yoko asked with a smirk.

"Whomever as long as it benefits me." Draco answered with a smirk, which he quickly discarded for a thankful smile when Pince returned with the book and handed it to him. He held it carefully, thanked her, and strode from the room calmly, leaving the others to trail behind him.

---

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the door of Professor Severus Snape's office and were knocking. Ron and Hermione shifted uncomfortably behind Draco, who smiled when Snape simply opened the door and let them enter, waiting until they were all sitting before sneering at the book in Draco's lap.

"May I ask for what reason you're holding a book from the Restricted Section, Draco?" he questioned, steepling his fingers.

Draco gave him a sarcastic smile. "The fools don't feel like believing some of the information that I've given them, so they've decided to brew the Polyjuice Potion."

Snape raised a brow. "That's a seventh year potion, Miss. Granger." Hermione flushed. "A good fourth of the ingredients can only be found in my personal store. Had Mr. Malfoy not talked you into coming here how did you intend on getting the ingredients?" he asked, interrupting her attempts at talking.

Harry gave Draco an amused grin. "May I ask just what this information is and why it is so important?" he asked, directing the question more at Blaise, Harry, and Draco than Ron or Hermione.

"The Heir of Slytherin, Professor." Blaise answered.

Snape sat back in his chair. "Oh?"

"They believe it to be Katelyn Malfoy, sir, and refused to be swayed. Yoko suggested that two of us use the Polyjuice potion to prove it." Harry answered quietly.

Hermione shot the two a betrayed look.

Snape stood and moved around his desk to stare down at her. "Perhaps, Miss. Granger, it would have been wiser for you to just ask Miss. Malfoy. However, since you already have the book, follow me. You may use my private lab on the weekends and after classes to brew the potion. Use no more ingredients than you need, or it will be the last time I assist Gryffindors in their foolishness." He strode to the door. "Report here day after tomorrow to begin. Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Zabini. Stay for a moment. I must speak to you regarding that issue you brought to me."

Hermione and Ron almost bolted from the room and Snape closed the door. "Harry, are you a parselmouth?" Snape asked.

Draco rolled his eyes. "You get straight to the point don't you."

"A what?" Harry asked, ignoring his friend.

"A parselmouth, one who can speak to serpents."

Harry blinked for a moment. "I've spoken to a boa constrictor once." He admitted. "Why?" he asked, taking in the looks that Draco and Snape were giving him.

As if he was the next Merlin.

"Harry, being a parselmouth is not a very common gift. It's what Salazar Slytherin was most famous for." Draco whispered.

_Well, that explains the looks they're giving me. Head of Slytherin and a student raised a Slytherin. I _would_ be the second coming of Merlin wouldn't I._ Harry thought.

"It's also why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent." Blaise added.

"Harry, if word of this gets out, you will be seen as the one who attacked Mrs. Norris. You will be seen as the Heir of Slytherin." Snape added quietly.

Harry swallowed. "But I'm not-"

Draco knelt before his friend and fellow Chosen. "Harry, calm down. No matter what, we'll all be here for you."

"**Harry, we already knew you were a parselmouth. Tarana found you talking to that boa constrictor on your cousin's birthday."** Fallen said from where he lay at one of Snape's desk corners. **"Even if you do turn out to be the Heir of Slytherin, you'll find it incredibly hard to push those in this room away."**

Harry nodded, but he was unable to erase the worry from his eyes. "Thanks." He murmured, looking at his lap for a moment.

Draco looked up at his godfather. "But what does the fact that Harry's a parselmouth have to do with the fact that he's hearing voices?" he asked.

Snape shrugged. "It was all I could think of. The only reason no one else could hear it was because they couldn't understand it."

Blaise nodded. "That makes sense."

Yoko stretched beside Fallen and sat up. **"Now how long does this potion take to make? Because if I'm spending more than a week down here every night, you better be putting in better rugs, Severus."** He stated.

Snape chuckled. "The Polyjuice Potion takes about a month to brew."

Blaise gapped. "A month?! Half the Muggle-borns in the school could be attacked by then, what are they hoping to gain?"

Snape gave a wry smirk. "They're Gryffindors, Blaise. Their minds work oddly."

Harry smirked slightly. "Now, you need to be in bed, boys. Harry, Draco, you both have a Quidditch game tomorrow. I'd say good luck, but you're playing my house." He said, with a smirk.

Harry grinned at him. "That's not going to change much, Professor. They'll still lose."

Snape gave him a very convincing glare, only matched by the amused grin he wore. "I'm sure."

---

Harry woke early on Saturday morning and lay for a while thinking about the upcoming Quidditch match.

He felt the bed dip at either end and opened his eyes to see Draco leaning against the pillow beside him and Fallen at the end of his bed. "Nervous?" he asked.

Draco smirked. "No. Katelyn can't play seeker if her life depended on it. At most, it will be the faster broom you need to watch out for."

Harry snorted. "It'll be up to you and me anyways. They're riding the same broom as you, but that doesn't make it any easier, as it'll be three against one. Not to mention the beaters."

Draco shrugged. "They've got bigger players. The entire Gryffindor team is lighter, and thus we'll be faster." He poked Harry in the side. "What's gotten into you? You've got to know that you're better than Katelyn."

Harry shrugged and lay his head on the blonde's shoulder, ignorant of Draco's hitched breath. "I've no idea. After my first match, I wasn't was never this nervous again. Still want to kick their asses though." He murmured.

"**Good to hear. Because if Slytherin wins, I'm going to bite you."** Fallen smirked.

Harry glared sleepily at the guardian, the feeling of Draco's shoulder's rising and falling gently with his breathing putting him back to sleep rather quickly.

---

Draco watched Harry drift off to sleep again and sighed, looking over at Fallen. "What's happening to me?"

"**You really should have realized by now that you're having difficulty seeing him as just your best friend anymore. Something in you is making him seem different in your eyes."**

Draco sighed again, running his fingers down Harry's cheek, watching as the boy leaned into the touch subconsciously. "Will it change anything else? Would it have been happening to him too, if Tarana were still around and he was still a Called Chosen?" he asked quietly, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"**I don't doubt it. The older you both get, the more your bodies will change to deal with the awakening magic. I will admit, that part of this, is my fault. My presence awakens things faster than they would normally, in the end, however, Harry's body and magic will still change, albeit at a slower rate than yours and Blaise's. The hormones that have already awakened in you, will eventually be awakened in him as well."** Draco closed his eyes. **"Draco."**

Draco opened his eyes and looked at the wolf. **"She didn't plan on dying. She's not a necromancer. She had no idea when she was going to die. However, she did die. And she died doing what she does best. Protecting. Instead of thinking of it as her bringing him back to you broken, why don't you think of it as she brought him back to you **_**alive**_**."** Fallen stated.

Draco closed his eyes. "This isn't who I befriended in that shop last year, Fallen. He's not the courageous Gryffindor I met last year. He's…."

"**He's what remains when you take away every protective thought he has. He is the core of Harry Potter. And just like any twelve year old who has lost something precious, he needs comfort I'm sure he didn't get at the Dursley's over the summer. He needs his friends. He needs to be loved."** Fallen stated. **"Show him, Draco, that he's not alone. Even without Tarana, he will always have you. Show him that you care for him, not because of his power, or because of Tarana and her status. That you care for him because of who he is. That's all I can help you with." **

'**It's not like the boy hasn't opened up since the beginning of the year. Hes even been joking around with the others, hasn't he?' **

'_**Yes. And that's what gives me hope that he is not broken.'**_Fallen murmured to Matt. Matt was silent, watching with Fallen as Draco stared at his best friend, before he too fell asleep.

---

Half an hour later, Fallen nudged the two awake. **"You should go get an early breakfast."** He said quietly.

The two dressed quietly and went down, where the rest of the Gryffindor team was huddled at the long, empty table, all of them looked more uptight than Harry did, and weren't speaking much.

Blaise and Yoko came down not long after and between the group, they managed to at least get Oliver thinking a bit more positively.

Although they weren't sure if that was a good thing or not.

---

As eleven o' clock approached, the whole school started to make its way down to the Quidditch pitch.

Before they reached the team reached the doors of the locker rooms, a voice called out. "Hey, Malfoy!" Draco turned, his expression fixed, to see Slytherin Theodore Nott making his way calmly towards them.

Harry waved the others inside and waited by the door.

"Nott." Draco murmured coolly.

Theodore winced. "I guess I deserve that don't I."

Draco smirked wryly. "Its not everyday that you're childhood friend almost hexes you over the summer is it."

Theodore nodded. "I'm sorry about that. I needed to convince Katelyn not to hex me though. We both know that the Malfoy family knows more Dark Magic than the rest of us do combined."

Draco shrugged. He wasn't going to argue the truth.

Theodore extended a hand. "Kick her ass."

Draco smirked, taking it. "We plan to." He dropped the hand and walked into the locker room, where he and Harry were the only ones not changed.

They did so, waving for Oliver to begin whatever pep talk he felt like having.

"Slytherin has better brooms than us," he began. "No point denying it. But we've got better _people_ on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers-"

"Too true," George muttered. "I haven't been properly dry since August."

"-and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy," Draco winced. "buy her way onto their team."

Harry put his hand on Draco's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly as Oliver turned to him.

"It'll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to."

"So no pressure, Harry." Fred said, smirking at Harry.

---

As they walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greeted them; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin lose, but Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard, too.

Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping each a bit harder than was necessary.

"On my whistle," Hooch said. "Three…two…one…"

With a roar from the crowd to speed them upwards, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky.

Harry flew higher than any of them, squinting around for the Snitch.

"All right there, Scarhead?" Katelyn yelled, shooting underneath him as though to show off the speed of her broom.

Harry paid no attention to it.

He'd seen it racing against Draco.

He wouldn't have had time to reply anyway. At that moment, a heavy black Bludger came pelting toward him; he avoided it so narrowly that he felt it ruffle his hair as it passed.

"Close one, Harry!" George called, streaking after it.

Harry saw George give the Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of Adrian Pucey, but the Bludger changed direction in midair and shot straight for Harry again.

Harry dropped quickly to avoid it, and George hit it hard at Katelyn.

Once again, the Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at Harry's head.

Harry put on a burst of speed and zoomed towards the other end of the pitch, brushing past Draco as he did so.

He could hear the Bludger whistling after him.

---

Behind him, Draco narrowed his eyes, and dodged Adrian as he caught the Quaffle that Angelina dropped when she was hit with the other Bludger.

Taking off after Harry, he easily scored the third goal of the game before he turned and signaled to Oliver that they needed a time out.

He got the message.

"What's going on?" Oliver asked as the Gryffindor team huddled together. "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina from scoring?"

George scowled. "We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger from murdering Harry, Oliver." he said angrily. "Someone's fixed it-it won't leave Harry alone. It hasn't gone after anyone else all game."

Hooch was walking toward them.

Draco made a quick decision, Harry nodded to him. "Listen, guys. With the two of you flying around me, I won't catch anything. Let Draco fly with me and we'll deal with the rogue one."

Oliver looked shocked. "But he's the only one scoring for us."

Draco scowled at him. "You've got no faith in the rest of your team, Wood. They can do this without me. Harry and I have flown together for two years, we know how the other works. It's the only way he'll catch the Snitch and get out of this alive."

Hooch had joined them. "Ready to resume play?" she asked Oliver.

Oliver looked back and forth between Harry and Draco. He'd seen the two of them fly together.

They were right. "Alright." He said. "Fred, George, you heard them. Leave them alone and let them deal with the Bludger."

The rain that had started during the game, was falling more heavily now.

On the whistle, they rose into the sky.

Harry and Draco flew higher than the others.

The two danced in the air, Draco always slightly behind Harry despite the fact that he could go faster.

The result was that the speed of the Nimbus Two Thousand and One was effective for dodging last minute while Harry got out of the way. The blonde knew that the Bludger was probably just for Harry, and therefore would have no problems going through him to get to the brunette.

But to do that, he'd have to catch him and between him and Harry, they were used to doing the oddest of stunts, knowing that the other had their backs. He let Harry pick directions, hovering occasionally, while Draco's eyes glowed a faint red, unnoticed even by himself.

---

Far below them, Fallen watched, his eyes flickering black in anger and frustration.

There was no way to get close enough to Harry and Draco from the ground. Yoko purred beside him, attempting to comfort his mate, although his eyes were also trained upwards on the bludger seemingly intent on taking Harry to the ground.

He watched as Draco caught the Quaffle, to satisfy Hooch that he wasn't playing Seeker for Harry and sped off quickly to make the shot.

In the air, Harry was staring in disbelief at Katelyn, who was so busy laughing at him that she didn't notice the Snitch hovering inches above her left ear.

For a moment, Harry just sat there, not daring to speed toward Katelyn in case she looked up and saw the Snitch.

WHAM!

He had stayed still a second too long.

The Bludger had hit him at last, smashing into his elbow, and Harry felt his arm break.

Draco's shout was the last thing that rang in his ears before pain engulfed every one of his senses, leaving only one thought in his mind.

_Get to Katelyn._

The rest of the pitch however, saw Draco lose his tight control.

Visible magic rose around the entire broom, swirling like the violent wind that made up the storm, it lashed out brutally at the Bludger, which was coming around for a second attack.

The entire school saw the Bludger shatter beneath the force, just as Katelyn dove out of the way to avoid Harry as he dove for the Snitch.

The raw magic, once more reigned in by Draco's iron will, curved, diving after Harry, who was gripping the broom only with his legs.

Seconds before he hit the mud, Harry saw a blurry vision of a red wolf catching him in its jaws.

---

Draco gently lowered his friend to the ground below him, banishing his magic as he landed beside him, dropping his Nimbus Two Thousand and One as he ran towards Harry.

Fallen and Yoko, both covered in mud, stopped on either side of him, growling viciously at the form of Arcana who stood just outside the shadows.

Arcana took a few steps back before turning and disappearing into the rain.

---

Harry came around, rain falling on his face, still lying on the field, with someone leaning over him.

He saw a glitter of teeth.

"Oh, no, not you." He moaned.

"Doesn't know what he's saying," Lockhart said loudly to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around them. "Not to worry, Harry. I'm about to fix your arm."

"_No!_" Harry cried out. "I'll keep it like this, thanks. Stay away from me!" He tried to sit up, but the pain was terrible.

A familiar arm wrapped around his shoulders and an impressive snarl escaped Draco's lips. "Back off, Lockhart."

Lockhart simply smiled at him. "Lie back, Harry." Lockhart said soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times-"

Draco's eyes took on a reddish glow again and a red blur passed him, knocking Lockhart to the ground.

"**You don't get it you simpering fool. He's feral. Draco is protecting what he sees as a potential mate, you utter imbecile."** Fallen snarled. **"You're looking to die."**

Lockhart smiled nervously.

Hermione and Ron managed to pull Draco away from Harry, using a Stunning Spell.

Yoko coaxed his own mate off of the professor and nuzzled him gently.

'_**Fallen, Harry isn't our chosen. We can be punished for harming someone who harms him, if it doesn't directly bring harm to one of our own. We need to play this carefully and with all of these people here, there are too many witnesses to see that Draco is in no danger from Lockhart. Calm down.'**_ He soothed.

A quick spell later, and Harry was being led up to the Hospital wing.

Draco seethed behind him, muttering about all of the things he'd like to do to Gilderoy Lockhart.

The spell Lockhart had used hadn't mended Harry's bones.

It had removed them all together.

---

Pomfrey wasn't at all pleased either. "You should have come straight to me!" she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second-but growing them back-"

"You will be able to, won't you." Draco asked smoothly, not a trace of the anger he felt boiling below the surface showed on his face.

"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," Pomfrey said grimly, throwing Harry a pair of pajamas. "You'll have to stay the night…."

Hermione and the others waited outside, no questions asked while Draco helped Harry into the pajamas.

Before calling them back in, Harry leaned gave his friend a one armed hug, hoping to sooth at least part of the anger from the blonde.

Draco wrapped his arms around his friend, resting his lips on his forehead in response, but refused to say a word.

They stood there listening to Ron and Hermione argue beyond the curtains.

"How can you stick up for Lockhart now, Hermione?!" Ron asked. "If Harry had wanted a deboning he would have asked."

"Anyone can make a mistake," Hermione said sharply. "And it doesn't hurt anymore does it Harry?"

Harry sighed and pulled away from Draco, relieved to note that the rage had dissipated from gray-blue eyes.

"No." he said sharply, more annoyed with her now than ever before. "But it doesn't do anything else either."

Draco smirked at him as Harry swung onto the bed and sat beside him, as he had that morning, one foot on the floor, with his back against the pillows and an arm loosely around the boy's shoulders.

The group and Pomfrey came around the curtain.

The nurse was holding a large bottle of something labeled _Skele-Gro_.

"You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beakerful and handing it to him. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."

"I'm staying." Draco stated.

Pomfrey made to object, but Fallen murmured **"It's better this way Poppy." **

And she fell silent, retreating soon after.

---

Between Draco and Fallen, who stated that he was only reiterating what Matt was muttering in his ear, Harry was quite easily distracted from the stabbing pains in his limp arm.

Soon, he was drifting off to sleep, the lingering feeling of Draco brushing a lock of his hair off his face following him to his dreams.

---

Hours and hours later, Harry woke quite suddenly in the pitch blackness and gave a small yelp of pain: His arm now felt full of large splinters.

For a second, he thought that was what had woken him.

Then, with a thrill of horror, he realized that someone was sponging his forehead in the dark.

Draco emerged from the darkness like a large bat, staring coldly at the house elf by his friend's bedside.

"What are you doing, Dobby?"

Harry flinched at the iciness in the blonde's tone.

Dobby shivered in the face of his master, but didn't take his eyes off of Harry.

"Harry Potter came back to school," he whimpered miserably. "Dobby tried to keep Harry Potter safe without Queen Tarana. Dobby warned and warned Harry Potter. Ah sir, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Harry Potter go back home when he missed the train?"

Draco's eyes flashed.

"Dobby, you never warned me." Harry murmured painfully.

Draco sneered at the house elf. "You stopped the barrier from letting us through." He growled.

Dobby shied away from him. "Yes master. Dobby hid and watched for Harry Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterward" –he showed them ten long, bandaged fingers- "but Dobby didn't care, sir, for he thought Harry Potter was safe, and _never_ did Dobby dream that Harry Potter would get to school another way! Dobby was so shocked when he heard Harry Potter was back at Hogwarts, he let his master's dinner burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, sir…."

Draco smirked, imagining the 'flogging' that his father probably gave the house elf for burning his evening meal.

"You nearly got us all _expelled_, Dobby. Myself included. I hope you're happy." He snarled, perching himself on the end of Harry's bed, never taking his eyes off the green-eyed house elf, making the creature quiver.

Harry sat himself up, nudging Draco with his foot to spare Dobby prolong exposure to Draco's hate filled eyes.

"Why's he wear that thing?" he asked, when he finally got his attention, gesturing with his chin to the filthy pillowcase he wore.

Draco raised a brow. "It's a mark of enslavement. He can only be freed if his masters, myself or my father, present him with clothes. My father's careful to make sure we don't give him anything, although I think he finds it more of an amusement when my mother yells at him for keeping such 'vile and disgusting creatures in her home'. As if Malfoy Manor could ever be her home."

Dobby blew his nose on the pillowcase, and Draco sneered in disgust.

"Harry Potter must go home!" Dobby said suddenly. "Dobby thought his bludger would be enough to make-"

Draco's eyes flashed again, red beginning to press in on the outside and Dobby quailed.

"_Your_ bludger?" Draco hissed coldly. "What do you mean _your_ bludger, Dobby. You made that bludger try and kill him?"

Dobby shook his head vehemently. "Not kill him, master, never kill him. Dobby wants to save Harry Potter's life! Better sent home grievously injured than remain here, master. Dobby only wanted Harry Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"

Draco pointed his wand at the creature and snarled, the red pressing further into his eyes despite his attempts to reign in his power.

Dobby quailed.

"I'm giving you an order, Dobby. _Stay away from Harry Potter_." He snarled. Dobby nodded hastily. "Get out."

Dobby disappeared with a crack.

Harry watched with amusement as Draco slumped back onto the bed, exhausted. "You going to tell me why he wants to send me home in pieces?"

Draco shrugged. "Merlin knows what goes on in that dunce's head sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Draco rolled his head to the side to look at him. "Dobby's raised me more than my parents have. He's a nutter for a house elf, but he's brilliant for conversation when Fallen's not around. Better than the others who only agree with me because they're scared. I'm not normally as harsh with him. But he almost got you killed."

Harry smirked. "My hero."

Draco laughed quietly.

Fallen leapt onto the bed like a large dog. **"There's another attack. Dumbledore and McGonagall are bringing the petrified student here."**

Draco crawled along the length of the bed, lying next to Harry so that Fallen could lay on the end.

Together, they watched as Dumbledore backed into the Infirmary wearing a long woolly dressing gown and a nightcap. He was carrying one end of what looked like a statue. McGonagall appeared a second later, carrying its feet. Together they heaved it onto a bed.

"Get Madam Pomfrey," whispered Dumbledore, and McGonagall hurried past the end of Harry's bed and out of sight.

Harry and Draco lay quite still, pretending to be asleep. Fallen watched every move they made, it wouldn't be suspicious, as he was naturally protective of Draco, and watched everyone in the room he was in.

Harry and Draco heard urgent voices and then McGonagall swept back into view, closely followed by Pomfrey, who was pulling a cardigan on over her nightdress.

They heard her sharp intake of breath.

"What happened?" Pomfrey whispered to Dumbledore, although the three listeners had no problems hearing her.

"Another attack." Dumbledore answered. "Minerva found him on the stairs."

"There was a bunch of grapes next to him," McGonagall said. "We think he was trying to sneak down here to visit Potter."

Harry's stomach gave a horrible lurch, and he felt Draco wrap a sympathetic arm around his waist, pulling him to the blonde's chest for comfort, unable to do more without giving them away.

Three beds away from the two, a ray of moonlight fell on the face of Colin Creevey, his eyes wide and hands stuck up in front of him, holding his camera.

"Petrified." Pomfrey announced quietly.

"Yes." McGonagall said. "But I shudder to think …If Albus hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate-who knows what might have-"

The six, Harry, Draco and Fallen included, stared down at Colin.

Then Fallen broke the silence. **"Check the camera, Albus."**

Dumbledore turned to him, and nodded, leaning forward to wrench the camera out of Colin's rigid grip.

"You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" McGonagall asked.

Fallen's voice was so low that it could have quite easily passed for a purr. **"I want to test a theory."**

Dumbledore opened the back of the camera.

"Good gracious!" Pomfrey said.

A jet of steam had hissed out of the camera.

Three beds away, they all caught the acrid smell of burnt plastic.

"**Melted."** Fallen murmured. **"All melted."**

'**What does this mean, Fallen?'** Matt asked.

'_**It means, that the Chamber of Secret is open again…for the first time in fifty years.'**_

'**But who…'** Fallen shook his head slightly.

'_**I don't think it's who, Matt…I think it's the diary.'**_

'**Tom Riddle's diary? From all those years ago?'**

'_**The one and only.'**_ Fallen answered, watching as the professors slowly left the infirmary, leaving Harry and Draco to quietly discuss the conversation, before falling asleep curled around one another.

Despite the depressed thoughts that he'd much rather be dealing with the Chamber of Secrets with Tarana, then the flimsy trust that he had with Arcana at this point, Fallen couldn't help but watch the devotion, even nonromantic as it was on Harry's side at this particular point, that they excluded for each other with a hint of jealousy.

He may not have had the growing romantic feelings as these two had for each other, but looking at the two of them never made him miss Tarana more.


	11. Lockhart's Club

This Chapter was Revised 9/6/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Eleven: Lockhart's Club**_

Harry woke up on Sunday morning to find the dormitory blazing with winter sunlight and his arm reboned, but very stiff.

He sat up quickly and found that he was alone.

Draco and Fallen were no where to be seen.

Forcibly ignoring the stab of distress, he sat up further and Pomfrey, seeing that he was awake came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then began bending and stretching his arms and fingers.

"All in order," she said, as he clumsily fed himself porridge left handed, until thin fingers took it from him and the bed dipped.

Glancing up, Harry grinned at Draco, who was twirling the spoon idly, glancing at Pomfrey.

"When he's finished eating, he may leave Mr. Malfoy, but not a second sooner."

Draco gave her a grateful smile and she walked off.

Draco rolled his eyes and turned back to Harry, digging through his pocket, he handed him a potion vial. "Sev asked me to give it to you. Supposed to help loosen your muscles so you can use your arm sooner." He said, smirking slightly.

Harry downed the potion, and mock glared at his friend. "Can I have my spoon back now?"

Draco stuck the spoon in his mouth and shook his head.

"You'll have to take it from me, Harry." He grinned.

Harry rolled his eyes and leaned back.

Draco pouted.

With reflexes of two years of playing and practicing with the snitch, Harry tore the spoon from Draco's mouth, smirking wickedly at the stunned look on his face.

"Okay."

As he went back to eating, Draco leaned back on his hands, crossing one leg over the other and tapping his fingers on the bedspread.

"Hermione and the others began the potion this morning." He murmured, watching as Harry ate, and Madam Pomfrey worked on the other side of the Infirmary, too far away to hear them speak.

"Oh? How did they take that?"

"Unhappily." Draco answered, amused. "They don't trust Sev not to tell his Snakes about the potion, and the plan to infiltrate them."

Harry shook his head. "Trust issues, the lot of 'em." He murmured around his spoon.

---

Harry finished eating, and the three headed towards the dungeons, and Snape's personal potions lab, where Hermione, Blaise, Yoko, Ron, and Snape were moving around the lab, Hermione and Ron for the Polyjuice Potion, and Snape was teaching Blaise some of the more advanced healing potions.

Draco sat on one of the stools and gestured for Harry to enter.

Harry half-smiled at Snape and thanked him for the potion, to which Snape only shrugged.

"He's getting better." Harry murmured, leaning on the table beside Draco.

"At what?" Draco asked.

Harry smirked up at him. "Either hiding his surprise or accepting my thanks."

Draco snorted. "Probably both." He stated.

"You have fifteen minutes to let it sit, Blaise."

Blaise rolled his eyes and walked over to Harry and Draco, dropping into the seat on the other side of the table.

"So, how was your stay, Harry?" he asked, smirking slightly.

Draco rolled his eyes.

Harry shook his head.

He was aware of Blaise's sudden change in humor. He wasn't aware of where his teasing was trying to go, and there were times, where he wasn't sure that he wanted to know.

Throwing those thoughts off elsewhere in his mind, Harry explained about Dobby's visit. Harry looked over at Snape. "Professor, has the Chamber of Secrets ever been opened before?" he asked.

Snape was leaning against his desk calmly watching the Gryffindors in his private lab.

"It was rumored to have been opened before yes." He answered.

Draco raised a brow. "How long ago?"

Snape shook his head. "Before I was here. So more than twenty years ago."

Harry turned so that he had his back against the table and crossed his arms over his chest. "Dumbledore looked like he'd been around when it was last opened. How old is he?"

Snape rolled his eyes. "No one knows how old Dumbledore is, Potter."

Draco sighed before turning his head to look over at Ron.

"Hey Ron. Harry and I found out who stopped us from getting through the barrier at King's Cross in September."

Snape raised a brow.

Ron looked up from where he was sprinkling dead lacewings under Snape's careful eye over the leeches Hermione put into it. "Really, who?"

"My house elf. Apparently he wants to 'save Harry Potter's life'."

Snape snorted. "As if Potter needs more saving."

Harry smirked. "Love you, too, Professor."

Snape sneered at him.

"Wait, that house elf, Dobby, that visited you this summer, Harry?" Ron interrupted.

Harry nodded. "And sent that bludger that Draco blew up after me."

Draco shrugged when everyone turned to him. "What?"

"So," Ron stated. "Dobby stopped us from getting on the train _and_ broke your arm…." He shook his head. "You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life, he's going to kill you."

Harry grinned and elbowed Draco. "Why would he do that? He's far too afraid of 'Master Draco' to do anything else to me."

Blaise snorted.

---

The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the school by Monday morning.

The air was suddenly thick with rumor and suspicion.

The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone.

Hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school.

Neville bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before Draco and Seamus stated that he was in no danger, as he was a pure-blood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.

"They went for Filch first," Neville said fearfully. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."

Blaise's face contorted into an annoyed one. "You're not a Squib, nor are you close to being one, Neville. You just lack confidence."

Neville shivered and Blaise grinned at him. "Besides, if you think you're going to be attacked, I'll protect you." He said.

Neville gave him a relieved and slightly embarrassed smile.

Draco exchanged amused looks with Seamus and Dean.

---

In the second week of December, McGonagall came around as usual to collect names of those who would be staying at school for school for Christmas.

Draco, Harry, and Blaise signed up, promising that that they'd keep an eye on the Potion for Ron and Hermione while they were away.

They rolled their eyes every time Hermione brought it up.

It was obvious that Ron could care less what happened to the potion, but they doubted that he took Draco's denial that any Malfoy, especially Katelyn, was related to Salazar Slytherin.

---

A week later, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Draco were walking across the entrance hall to meet Blaise for dinner.

They noticed a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up.

Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited. "They're starting a Dueling Club!" Seamus said excitedly. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in right handy one of these days…."

"What you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" Draco drawled sarcastically.

"Could be useful." Ron said to them. "Shall we go?"

Draco groaned quietly when Hermione agreed and knew that he, Harry, and Blaise would be dragged through the entire thing.

---

At eight o' clock that evening the Gryffindors half-hurried back to the Great Hall.

The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead.

The ceiling was velvety black, all signs of the three day storm having faded away, and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.

Draco rolled his eyes and made a whine-like noise.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us." Ron said as they edged into the chattering crowd.

"Someone told me that Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young-maybe it'll be him." Hermione said.

"As long as it's not-" Harry groaned and buried his head into Draco's shoulder.

Gilderoy Lockhart was walking on stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.

'The school'd probably have a heart attack if he was in anything but black.' Blaise murmured to Yoko, who was perched on his shoulder.

The fox chuckled. _**'Most likely, Blaise. You would.'**_

Blaise didn't deny it. 'Damn right I would. It'd be damn creepy to see Severus in colors.'

Lockhart waved an arm for silence. "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duel club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions-for full details see my public works. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," Lockhart said.

Blaise rolled his eyes.

'**As if the entire school doesn't already know Snape.'** Fallen snorted.

'How long do you think Lockhart can pretend that Snape's not wishing death on his back?' Blaise asked Yoko.

Yoko rolled his eyes. **"Knowing that git, eternity."**

Hermione elbowed Blaise, Lockhart was talking again.

Blaise exchanged annoyed looks with Draco, Harry, and Ron.

"He tells me he knows a tiny bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin."

Harry leaned over Draco's shoulder to whisper in his ear. "A galleon says that Snape just wants to hex him."

Draco snorted and stated, "I won't take that bet, it's probably true."

"Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry-you'll still have your potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

Draco snorted quietly. "The man knows more Dark Arts than Lockhart can stuff into his ego. If anyone, Lockhart'll end up looking like the giant squid."

Harry and Blaise snickered quietly.

Snape's upper lip was curling, and Blaise grinned.

'Lockhart's an idiot. If Snape looked at _me_ like that, I'd be running as fast as I could in the opposite direction.'

'_**Well, we're both aware that Lockhart lacks the brains it takes to function in society.'**_ Yoko stated, _**'My main question is whether or not he knows that Snape holds his life in his hands or not.'**_

'Probably not.' Blaise murmured back.

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably.

Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the acceptable combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that." Harry murmured in amusement, watching Snape bare his teeth.

"One-two-three-"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "_Expelliarmus_!"

There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet. He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.

Most of the students, minus a few boys and the majority of the girls, cheered.

"Do you think he's alright?" Hermione asked, dancing on tiptoes, biting her fingers.

"Who cares?" the boys said together, clapping, it was likely the only time the school was partially united on _Snape's_ side.

Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm-as you see, I've lost my wand-ah, thank you, Miss. Brown-yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you, it would have been only too easy-however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…"

Snape looked murderous.

Blaise smirked darkly.

"I think he noticed." Neville murmured beside him.

Sure enough, Lockhart said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me-"

Lockhart moved through the crowd, while Snape watched with a sneer from the stage.

Draco gave his godfather a fleeting, pleading look and received a short, almost imperceptive nod in return.

He narrowed his eyes on the Gryffindor group. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan, Zabini you may partner Longbottom, Granger-" Hermione stepped closer to Harry and Draco.

Draco smirked derisively behind her. "I don't think so. Granger, you can partner with Miss. Bulstrode. Miss. Malfoy, let's see what you make of your cousin. Mr. Finch-Fletchley, let's see what you make of the famous Potter."

Harry's eyes flashed in understanding and gave Draco a faint nod.

"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow."

Draco and Katelyn barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other. Similar gray eyes met with an almost icy flare of hatred.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents-_only_ to disarm them-we don't want any accidents-one…two…three-"

Draco and Katelyn's first spells clashed in midair. Draco a second faster than his cousin, was already on his second spell.

"_Rictusempra_!" A silver jet of light hit Katelyn in the stomach and she doubled up, wheezing.

"_I said disarm only_!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of students that began to crowd around the two Malfoys.

Katelyn didn't waste a breath. "_Tarantallegra_." She hissed through her teeth.

Draco batted it aside with a simple _protego_.

Following Lockhart to prevent unneeded damage.

Snape snapped out a spell. "_Finite Incantatem_!"

Katelyn stopped laughing as the Tickling Charm was taken off of her.

Draco looked up at his godfather and the Potions professor nodded again.

"Perhaps, it would be wise to teach them how to block, unfriendly spells, Lockhart." Snape murmured darkly.

Lockhart looked at Snape, who's black eyes glinted, and looked away just as quickly.

He missed Snape's malicious smirk. "Yes…well, perhaps Potter and Finch-Fletchley-"

Harry raised his eyes defiantly. "If it's all the same, Professor, I'd rather not."

Fallen, who had curled up on the stage during the 'duel' between the two Malfoy cousins, beside Snape's feet, laying in the most laid back and lazy position imaginable for a wolf.

"**Perhaps…the cousins Malfoy, Gilderoy…"** He suggested through half opened eyes, giving off the impression of laziness.

"Excellent idea!" Lockhart said, gesturing to the two into the middle of the hall, where the crowd once again gave the two room to duel.

"Scared Draco?" Katelyn asked. Draco radiated cool indifference.

"You wish." He murmured boredly.

Something flickered in his cousin's eyes as Lockhart began to count down.

As soon as Lockhart said 'go', Katelyn raised her wand and Draco's eyes widened.

"_Serpentsortia!_" she hissed.

The long black snake that shot out of the end of her wand, was clearly poisonous, fangs dripping with poison and saliva, it rose slowly.

Draco didn't move.

He was eye level with a deadly snake.

Snape's eyes flickered with worry.

Harry closed his eyes. He knew what was going to occur even before it happened, almost seeing it in his mind's eye.

Lockhart pissed off the snake, and it rose up further, now closer to Draco than before, hissing and spitting.

Opening his eyes, Harry found Snape just behind Draco.

The snake lunged.

"_Leave them alone!"_ he shouted, more aware than ever, that the sound that came out of his mouth was most definitely _not_ English.

Snape and Draco both glared at him.

He stared back defiantly.

He had just given the rumors and prejudicial students of Hogwarts, the ammunition needed to crucify him.

---

The stares that followed Harry the next day nearly drove him up the wall.

Draco and Snape had let him have it the second they were out of the Hall.

Hermione and Ron hadn't talked to him since they found out that they had once more, been left from the loop.

The group was sitting in the library, Harry sitting closer to Draco than necessary in an effort to stem off the glares and fearful looks that he received, as the two worked on their essay.

They'd been there half an hour before there was a quiet commotion in the corner, and Harry, catching his name being mentioned, tuned in more carefully to listen.

"So anyway," a stout boy was saying, "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter marks him down as his next victim, it's best he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born. Justin's actually _told_ him he'd been down for Eton. That's not the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherin's heir on the loose, is it?"

"You definitely think it _is_ Potter, then, Ernie?" a girl with blonde pigtails whispered anxiously.

"Hannah," the stout boy, Ernie, said solemnly, "he's a parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a Dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue."

There was a heavy murmur at this, and Ernie went on.

A hand on his thigh told Harry that Draco had heard, and was listening as well.

"Remember what was written on the wall? _Enemies of the Heir, Beware_. Potter had some sort of run in with Filch. Next thing we know, Filch's cat's attacked. That first year, Creevey, was annoying Potter at the Quidditch match, taking pictures of him while he was lying in the mud. Next thing we know-Creevey's been attacked."

"He always seems so nice, though," Hannah said uncertainly, "and, well, he's the one who made You-Know-Who disappear. He can't be all bad, can he?"

A snort below him when Hannah titled Voldemort, made Harry turn and glare at Fallen.

The wolf had probably been listening to the entire conversation and had no intention of letting him know that they were talking about him attacking Justin.

The action made Harry almost miss the Hufflepuff's next words.

"No one knows how he survived that attack by You-Know-Who. I mean to say, he was only a baby when it happened. He should have been blasted into smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark wizard could have survived a curse like that." He dropped his voice until it was barely more than a whisper, and said, "_That's_ probably why You-Know-Who (another snort, this time from Yoko) wanted to kill him in the first place. Didn't want Dark Lord _competing_ with him. I wonder what other powers Potter's been hiding?"

Harry couldn't take it anymore.

He stood up and stormed from the room, ignoring Pince's scowl.

Draco stood and walked calmly over to Ernie, receiving a glare which he ignored. He bent close to the table, so that the Hufflepuffs could all hear him, without having to raise his voice.

"Spread that rumor farther than this table, Macmillan, and I will make sure that my father's lessons in the Dark Arts don't go to waste rotting in my head." He hissed dangerously, straightening and sweeping from the room, leaving the pale Hufflepuffs behind as he went off to find his friend.

---

He was three corridors from the library when Peeves' voice came to him. "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"

He was sprinting by the third 'attack', had left Peeves' lips.

Draco pushed through the crowd that gathered from the area of Peeves' shout and with a snarl, resorted to spell work to get to his friend.

"_Conicio_."

Students and teachers alike were thrown aside by the spell, and he swept through them all like a storm cloud, ignoring them all as he knelt beside his shaken friend, pulling him to his body tightly and trying to stop his shaking.

Fallen sneered at one of the students, and then turned his gaze to the boy-who-lived.

Harry's eyes were dilated in fear, his lips and skin as pale as Draco's own. He was curled by the wall, most likely in an attempt to not get squashed by the students' stampede when Peeves had shouted.

The boy shook in the other Chosen's embrace.

McGonagall looked down at the two of them as the hall cleared.

"Professor, there's no way-" Draco murmured, tightening his hold on Harry.

McGonagall shook her head. "This is out of my hands, Mr. Malfoy." She said, and gestured for him to help Harry to his feet.

---

The three and Fallen walked in silence around a corner and she stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.

"Lemon drop." She said.

Draco's eyes became icy and his arm tightened around his friend's shoulders as the gargoyle sprang to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two, revealing a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator.

As he, Harry, Fallen, and McGonagall stepped onto it, Draco heard the wall thud closed behind them.

They rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Harry saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocking in the shape of a griffin.

He swallowed heavily.

This was Dumbledore's office.


	12. Hermione's Polyjuice Potion

This Chapter was Revised 9/6/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Twelve: Hermione's Polyjuice Potion**_

The two students, the guardian, and the professor stepped off the stone staircase at the top, and McGonagall rapped on the door.

It opened silently and they entered.

McGonagall told the three to wait, and left them there.

Draco looked around, his arm still wrapped tightly around Harry.

One thing was certain: of all the teachers' offices that he'd been in this far in the year, Dumbledore's was by far the oddest.

It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of unusual little noises.

A number of curious silver instruments, he recognized a few as Dark Arts detectors.

The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames.

There was an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat-the Sorting Hat.

Draco tore his eyes from the hat, when he felt Harry move from his side towards a golden perch that held a decrepit looking bird that resembled a half plucked turkey.

"**It's a phoenix, Harry."** Fallen murmured to the brunette, who watched with horrified fascination as a couple more feathers fell from its tail.

Draco tilted his head, and both boys jumped when the bird burst into flames.

As its ashes fell to the ground, the door opened.

Harry backed away, shaking once more.

Draco pulled him into his arms again.

"Your phoenix just blew up, Professor." He stated, before turning his attention to Harry, and attempting to calm the shaking boy.

Fallen's eyes narrowed viciously. _**'The stress of this year is not doing anything to help him get over Tarana's death.'**_ He stated coolly to Matt.

Matt watched the pair beside them through Fallen's eyes. **'You're right. Harry won't get better as long as these people keep showing up and accusing him of being Slytherin's heir and attacking students…. Would you like me to remind you to chase down Peeves for his song earlier?'**

'_**That sounds…oddly inviting, Matt.'**_ Fallen muttered distractedly.

Dumbledore watched over his glasses as Draco worked to calm his friend.

The twinkle in his eye could have rendered the Guardian blind.

_It's happening._ The Headmaster thought to himself. _The prophecy…._

Fallen growled quietly.

Harry felt the deep caring and reassurance repeatedly brushing his mind.

He leaned into it, drinking it in, and distantly recognized the giver as Draco.

He murmured slightly, the actual words incoherent.

Draco nuzzled his hair silently asking him if he was alright.

Harry nodded and drew on the absorbed feelings, finding comfort in them as he met Dumbledore's manipulative gaze.

_He could make me believe that he wants to help me. Just to get me to help him…. I don't trust him._ He thought, wordlessly bringing up barriers that he hadn't used since Tarana the year before.

The trio noticed the almost imperceptive frown.

The meeting was pointless.

---

The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had until now been nervousness into real panic.

Not surprisingly, it was Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most.

Ron looked at the group of nearby Hufflepuffs as they looked at Harry fearfully.

"At this rate, there'll only be you guys here." He said, turning back to the group.

"Us, Katelyn, Crabbe, and Goyle." Draco added.

Harry snorted. "I'm glad they're leaving. I'm tired of people skirting around me in the corridors. I'm not going to sprout fangs or anything."

Draco frowned at him. "Well you knew that was going to happen, Harry. Severus and I warned you about it."

Ron began to mutter under his breath for a moment or two.

---

Harry had a few higher points to think of about his 'coming out' as a parselmouth.

Fred and George found it all very funny.

They went out of their way to march ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through…."

Percy was as disapproving as he could get. "It is _not_ a laughing matter." He stated coldly.

"Oh, get out of the way Percy," Fred said. "Harry's in a hurry." He said with a grin and wink at the younger boy behind him.

"Yeah he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," George added, snickering.

Their actions, while cheering Harry up, seemed to aggravate the hell out of Katelyn Malfoy, who looked increasingly sour each time he saw them at it.

"It's because she's _bursting_ to say it's really her." Ron said.

Draco rolled his head lazily to look at him. "Actually, it's because they're mocking the person who Slytherins privately revere as the next muggle messiah." He stated.

"The what?"

Hermione launched into some long explanation about Jesus Christ, while Draco rolled his eyes and Harry snorted into his copy of _Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2_.

---

When term finally ended, and the tower was empty of all but the chosen, Harry, and the Guardians.

Harry found it peaceful.

Draco often found him on the Astronomy tower, sketching out his memories of Tarana and his friends.

The blond was pleased to notice that now; there were fewer and fewer tears, and more and more happiness.

The Christmas holidays, where there were no students, was finally allowing Harry to begin healing.

---

The day before Christmas, Harry, Draco, and Blaise were on their way to the Great Hall, when they found Arcana sitting at the top of the stairs.

Harry glared at him hatefully, although in the back of his mind, he noted that the white tiger was nearly gray in color now, amber eyes seemed almost brown they were so dull.

Arcana bowed his head, his muzzle brushing the ground at Harry's feet. **"You're gift from me, young Chosen, is the return of the one I've taken."**

Fallen and Yoko hissed.

"**By the Gods of the Realm of Demons and Guardians, I swear it, Prince."**

And then he was gone, leaving confused Chosen and stunned Guardians in his wake.

Harry stared at the spot that the tiger's muzzle had brushed until Draco tugged on his arm and they continued to the Great Hall.

---

Christmas morning arrived with Ron jumping on Harry's bed.

"Hi." He greeted cheerfully.

Draco raised a brow as he sat up. "Aren't you supposed to be with your family?" he asked the happy red head.

"Yup. But mum and dad let me and Hermione come back for the rest of the holidays instead of visiting Bill in Egypt."

Blaise yawned. "Ah…is this why you're hopping like a fucking rabbit? Because Hermione got to come back with you?"

Ron blushed deeply and got off the bed, throwing Harry's pillow at the black haired boy, screaming his denial.

"Get up. Hermione says that the potion's ready, you guys did an awesome job. It actually looks edible."

Harry raised a brow. "Don't look at us. We forgot about it…."

Draco smirked. "We did. But I doubt that Severus did."

Ron paled dramatically.

"Yes Weasley, you did just compliment my godfather, the Head of Slytherin house." Draco drawled, getting up and coming to sit by Harry.

Yoko watched affectionately as Blaise launched himself, complete with pillows at Ron, knocking the two of them off of Harry's bed, and half slapping Draco in the face with one of the pillows. It was the start of a very active pillow fight.

Yoko laughed long and hard when the three were done and Hermione opened the door, standing there stunned at the sight that greeted her.

"**Open your damn presents so we can go get breakfast."** He wheezed, pulling himself out from the pile of pillows that Blaise and Fallen had dumped on him once the two Guardians had been dragged into it.

Harry looked at the end of his bed, where a once neat pile of gifts had once sat. Thanks to Ron's jumping and the pillow fight, they were spread all over the foot of his bed, several had been dumped on the floor.

Sitting up, Harry fiddled with the Panther pendent that Draco had given him last year. It purred under his touch.

Draco gave him a sad smile before grinning and tossing him a small, black box.

Harry gave a mock gasp. "Draco, we aren't even dating!"

Draco bit back a smirk. "What can I say, I love you dearly."

The two burst out into hysterics at the look Hermione had on her face as she focused on the byplay the two gave.

Hermione shook her head and sat on the end of Ron's bed. "Get on with it, you idiots." She said in an annoyed tone.

Rolling their eyes, the boys got to work on the piles on the end of their beds.

Harry received a large tin of treacle fudge from Hagrid, a book called _Flying with the Cannons_ from Ron, a luxury eagle-feather quill that Hermione had picked from Cleo and worked for a week to create, Blaise had given him a book on defense magic of different kinds ("I flipped through it, there's Guardian magic in there too."), Draco got him a small silver bracelet engraved with his name and emeralds on either side. Yoko and Fallen had worked together to create or liberate, neither would say, some art supplies from their world (**"So you don't get bored."**), and the usual Weasley sweater from Molly.

Draco received a ring, charmed to change colors depending on Harry's moods from Blaise ("Better to know you're pissing him off before hand."), a drawing of the incident on the Quidditch pitch that Harry copied off of one of Colin's photos with a note on the back stating his thanks for protecting him in Tarana's place as well as a snake bracelet engraved with a saying in the dragon tongue from Harry, a book on Chaser strategies and moves from Hermione, a chess set sculpted from dragon fangs from Fallen, a green sweater with a silver Dragon with the red Quaffle in it's mouth from Molly, and Ron gave him a box of assorted candies that made Draco's mouth water until Harry pulled them out of his hands.

Blaise received a large, heavy book filled with hundreds of different types of logic and riddles both muggle and wizarding from Harry who grinned and winked at him, Hermione got him five boxes of assorted chocolates, Ron gave him two boxes of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Yoko gave him an ever changing sculpture of animals, causing him to grin as it changed to a phoenix then a fox, he received a book on famous witches and wizards who made millions by mimicking.

However, the highlight, was Neville's gift.

It was an invitation for Blaise to spend the summer after third year with him and his grandmother, and a postscript stating that it would have been second and third, but his grandmother would be out of the country the upcoming summer.

Yoko grinned slightly. **"I guess we don't need to plan on getting you to a safe place that summer."**

Fallen threw him a warning glare.

Yoko rolled his eyes. _**'I know, I know. But…I'm still going to worry, Fallen. Anything can change and we both know it. We weren't expecting to go through this year without Tarana. Things happen.'**_

Fallen nodded slightly. _**'I know.'**_

'**Do you, Fallen? It seems like you're just screwing around. Arcana's down the hall. He's just kind of sitting there. Why haven't you picked up on it yet?'**

Fallen ignored the insults. _**'Is Dark on the property?'**_

'**No.'** Matt answered after a moment of silence. **'Don't do anything you normally do, Fallen.'**

'_**And what's that?'**_

'**Stupid.'** The wolf answered snarkily.

Fallen rolled his eyes.

'_**I'll be back in a moment, Yoko.'**_ Fallen stated, leaping off the bed and trotting quickly out the portrait hole.

---

Deep in the shadows, Arcana watched Fallen approach.

"**Have you found the diary?"** he asked.

Fallen nodded. **"A first year has it. It'll take a bit of work to get it, as neither Yoko or I can get into the girl's dormitory."**

Arcana paced the shadows before Fallen. **"This isn't good, Fallen. All of these attacks are because of that diary. The one who has it will be brought to the Chamber…is there anyway that we can **_**find**_** the Chamber of Secrets, Fallen?"**

Fallen sat, looking blankly at the wall for a moment. **"Severus has a theory, that the beast of Salazar Slytherin is a snake. It would make sense. For all that I've found out, I'm betting on the King of Serpents. There's no way for **_**me**_** to know where the Chamber is, but I'm sure that if the boys and Hermione keep digging, they're bound to find out where it is. There's only so many places that a hundred foot long serpent can hide."**

Arcana nodded. **"Dark won't return for a bit. It'll give me time to break the remains of his control. When it happens, it will most likely be in the Chamber itself. Until then, I probably won't see you again. I'll buy you what time I can, Fallen, but still. Be on your guard. The girl is not to be trusted as long as she has that diary, am I clear?"**

Fallen smirked and bowed his head to the ground. **"Of course my King."**

Arcana turned to leave.

"**Arcana."** Fallen called. **"Did you mean what you said to Harry?"**

Arcana's reply was nearly too soft even for the wolf to hear. **"I'm doing my best, Fallen."**

Fallen sighed and turned as the second years exited the common room, Draco with his arm around Harry's shoulders as the two teased one another about something or other.

The wolf couldn't stop the overlay of two very similar people: a young woman with medium length black hair and ice blue eyes danced as she laughted, where the whites of a human would be, there was only silver, a silver tiara lay over her brow, the black and green gem falling just over the space between her eyes and the male beside her, long brownish red hair tied up in a high ponytail, his amber eyes glittered with amusement were also surrounded by silver, there was an ever moving tattoo the color of the darkest ocean waters on the edge of his left eye, twining up around his brow and lightening as it reached his hair line and disappeared.

Fallen smiled at the memory and followed his charge to breakfast.

---

The Great Hall looked magnificent.

Not only were a dozen frost covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossed the ceiling.

Dumbledore led them in a few of his favorite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog.

Harry didn't care that Katelyn was making snide remarks about his perceived relationship with her cousin.

Draco was mentally plotting the different ways to throttle, maim, and then kill Katelyn.

Ron was sure that the Slytherin girl would be getting her comeuppance soon anyways.

Fallen and Yoko enjoyed themselves to an extent, although they were happier now that Arcana was finally breaking free of Dark's control.

Severus Snape watched as the Gryffindors left the room and shook his head

This plan of Granger's was sure to go wrong somewhere.

---

"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," Hermione told the group.

Harry rolled his eyes heaven-ward, blinking when Draco buried his head in Harry's shoulder to hide his annoyance. "And we need to choose who's coming with me and Ron. I only have enough Polyjuice potion made for three of us."

Draco raised his hand, extracting his head from Harry's shoulder. "I'm out. I need to lead you to the common room, and being a Malfoy, no one there can question my presence."

Hermione turned on Blaise and Harry. "That just leaves the two of you then."

"**Harry."** Yoko stated.

Harry blinked. **"Fallen can get away with being in the Slytherin dorms since Draco'll be there as himself. I can't go with you and if I'm not there than Blaise isn't going."**

Harry nodded silently. "Alright. I'll go."

Hermione turned back to the group as a whole. "I've got the rest of it worked out," she stated, holding up two plump chocolate cupcakes. "I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught-"

"Which you got from Professor Snape." Draco interrupted, smirking at the annoyed look the girl shot him.

"As I was saying, I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet."

Ron looked at her incredulously. "Hermione, I don't think-"

Hermione turned her eyes to him, the steely glint in her eye that reminded Fallen of McGonagall. "The potion will be useless without Crabbe and Goyle's hair," she stated sternly. "You do _want_ to investigate Katelyn, don't you?"

Ron raised both hands in surrender.

Draco wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulder, something that was fast becoming habit. "I take it that you've already got your hair than." he stated.

Hermione nodded. "Millicent Bulstrode's. Remember she was my partner at the Dueling Club. She left it on my robes."

Harry raised a brow. "She went home for Christmas."

Hermione nodded again. "I'll just have to tell the Slytherins that I decided to come back."

As Hermione bustled off to check on the Polyjuice Potion once more, Matt muttered: **'Have you ever heard of a plan that could go wrong at any given point?'**

Fallen shook his head, and looked worriedly up at Draco.

Draco sighed. 'Something's up. And they don't believe me when I tell them that Katelyn doesn't know anything.'

'_**Perhaps you should tell them the rest of what you know.'**_

'Like how the Chamber was open 50 years ago? Or that one of the muggle borns was found dead the last time?' Draco murmured sarcastically.

'_**Both.'**_ Fallen stated with complete seriousness.

Draco made a soft whining sound in the back of his throat.

Harry turned his head to look at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

Draco glanced at Ron and Blaise.

Harry sighed. "Can you guys take care of this? I'm going to wring Draco for information."

Blaise gave them a positively dirty smirk as he nodded.

Harry trailed his hand down so that it wrapped around Draco's wrist and moved around Blaise towards the marble staircase, elbowing the black haired boy sharply as he passed.

Yoko gave a short lived growl.

He couldn't deny that the black haired boy had deserved it.

---

Harry pushed Draco into an abandoned classroom and closed the door.

Fallen threw up a visible barrier of pulsing energy and lay in front of the door.

"What's wrong, Dray?" Harry asked quietly, looking at Draco as the blond rubbed his hands over his face.

"I haven't told you…everything about the Chamber of Secrets, Harry." he whispered, looking up worriedly.

Harry shrugged. "Why is that a problem?"

Draco hissed out a breath. "Because I kept the worst from you…."

Harry walked behind his friend and rubbed his shoulders soothingly. "I don't care. You plan on telling me now." he whispered.

Draco closed his eyes and whispered. "The Chamber was opened before. About fifty or so years ago. There was a threat that the school was going to be closed because of all the attacks involved. There was some guy, Tom Riddle, who people believed to have caught the Heir of Slytherin. It was never proven, but the guy was expelled."

Harry rested his chin on the blond's shoulder and muttered in his ear. "So what's the fuss about it being the worst part, Draco?"

Draco opened his eyes and stared directly at Fallen, but not seeing him. "Because a muggle born was killed, Harry. Whatever the creature in the chamber is, it killed someone. And you may be hearing it."

Harry blinked for a moment. "That's not so bad, actually."

Draco turned to him sharply and Harry shrugged. "What can I say? I'm used to people wanting me dead. Voldemort, Snape to some extent last year, Quirrell last year, now this snake thing. What else is new? At least this time, we can find out what it can do. Humans are unpredictable."

Fallen snorted. **"You have no idea." ** he murmured. **"No idea whatsoever."**

---

Blaise and Ron walked into Snape's potion's lab and sat watching Hermione as she double checked the book.

"This isn't what the potion's supposed to look like." she murmured.

"Of course not, Granger. Severus probably altered the ingredients a bit to make it more appetizing." Blaise murmured, laying his head on the table.

_Bed is a much better place than here right now._ He thought mutinously.

Hermione sighed and turned to look at the two. "Did you get them?" she asked.

Ron nodded, showing her Crabbe's hair. "Good. I sneaked these spare robes out of the laundry," she said, tossing one of them to Ron.

"You'll need bigger sizes once you're Crabbe and Goyle." She looked around.

"Where're Draco and Harry?" Blaise looked up blearily.

"They needed to talk."

Seconds later, the door opened and Fallen led Harry and Draco into the room, Snape arrived a few minutes later, as the group was getting ready for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to take the potion.

"Before Granger gets you all killed, let me see these hairs of yours." he stated coolly, hand out expectantly.

Harry handed Goyle's hairs to the potions professor and leaned against the wall beside him, yawning widely.

"Human." he announced after putting them under the microscope in the corner, handing them back to Harry.

"Weasley." he said, looking annoyed at the hesitant red head.

Ron slowly handed Crabbe's hairs to Snape and stood waiting. "Human." he announced, handing them stiffly back to Ron.

Hermione handed hers over quickly, ready to get on with this.

Snape's eyes narrowed at the image only he could see.

"This is cat hair, Miss. Granger. This potion is not for use with animals."

Hermione's eyes widened as Snape looked up and handed the hairs to Blaise and told him to dispose of them.

"It seems as if only three of you will be going. The password is _pure-blood_, Draco." Draco nodded, sitting in Snape's desk chair, waiting.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Snape asked snappishly. "After you take this potion, you have an hour before you change back. That's all."

Hermione ladled out two glasses of the thick grayish potion and pushed them across the table towards Harry and Ron.

The two dropped the hairs into them.

Harry threw Snape an impish grin and downed it quickly, sticking his tongue out at the taste.

Snape smirked at him.

Ron downed it more slowly, and shuddered at the taste.

Draco grimaced as his friends began to grow, fingers thickening, robes were shredded and his hair was growing down towards his eyebrows.

Just as suddenly as it began, it stopped.

He sneered at the other two boys.

"Don't think I'm going to kiss you now, Potter." he teased.

Harry snickered as he changed into to robes that Hermione had snagged from the laundry and put on the larger boys shoes, which Blaise had thoughtfully snagged for him.

"That hurts, Dray." he stated, suppressing a wince at Goyle's low rasp. "I thought you loved me."

Draco mimed gagging and Blaise snorted.

Ron finished changing and stood beside Harry, looking at Draco. "So what's the plan?" he asked, his voice coming out as Crabbe's deep grunt.

"Crabbe and Goyle were supposed to work for me, and had I not ended up in Gryffindor, still would have. I'm 'borrowing' the two from Katelyn. It'll give you two enough time to talk to Katelyn."

Harry raised a brow. "You're going to talk to Theodore."

Draco smirked at him, but said nothing.

"We'd better get going then." Harry stated, loosening his watch.

Draco stood gracefully and shrugged off his Gryffindor robes, smirking slightly when both Harry and Hermione's gaze fell on his black jeans and button up shirt.

Ron, Blaise, and Snape rolled their eyes at the blonde's obvious enjoyment of Harry's gaze as it followed him to the door.

Draco led Harry and Ron through the dungeons confidently, Fallen stalking alongside them in the shadows.

Movement ahead of them made Draco's eyes narrow.

"**Percy."** the wolf beside them murmured, sliding from the shadows to stalk behind the 'unlikely' trio.

"What are you doing down here?" Ron asked in surprise.

Percy looked affronted. "That," he said stiffly, "is none of your business. It's Crabbe isn't it?"

"Wha-oh yeah," Ron said.

"Well, get off to your dormitories," Percy said sternly, eyeing Draco with contempt.

The blond sneered. "I'm here to visit a friend of mine, Weasley. And to ask my cousin to…burrow her bodyguards for an hour or so." he stated dismissively, crossing his arms. "What are _you_ doing down here? It's dangerous to be wandering the corridors at night, Weasley."

Percy drew himself up. "I," he stated coldly, "am a prefect. Nothing's about to attack _me_."

Draco smiled coldly. "You're in Slytherin territory, _Gryffindor_. Prefect or not, you shouldn't wander…you never know what lurks here." he stepped around the scowling Gryffindor prefect and snapped out, "Crabbe, Goyle, let's go."

Fallen chuckled as he passed Percy. **"He's right you know. Never know what nasty Slytherin is lurking to put a curse on a Gryffindor bred pure blood."** he leered.

Draco muttered darkly to his two polyjuiced friends. "He probably thinks he'll catch Slytherin's heir single-handedly. That's a laugh. _Dumbledore_ can't catch him, I'd like to see _him _try it. He can't even Speak."

He paused at a stretch of bare, damp wall. "Pure blood." he stated clearly.

A stone door concealed in the wall slid away and Draco walked through it, looking for all the world, Lucius Malfoy's son.

"You." he snapped at a first year. "Go get my cousin."

The first year eeped and ran down the halls to get the girl in question.

Draco perched himself in one of the chairs and waited, eyeing the Slytherins calmly while Harry and Ron stood on either side of the chair, exactly as Crabbe and Goyle did for Katelyn.

---

Theodore looked up from the game of chess he was playing with one of the older Slytherins and smirked at his friend.

Draco nodded to him.

Abandoning the game for the moment, he moved forward and bowed before the Gryffindor.

"What can I do for you, Malfoy?" he asked coldly.

Draco eyed him. "I'm waiting for my cousin. I need to borrow Crabbe and Goyle for an hour while I meet with my father in the Headmaster's office." he lied smoothly.

Theodore straightened and sat in the armchair opposite Draco. "What's new in the Snake Pit, Nott?" Draco asked, eyeing the group of Slytherin girls that were sneering at the two of them, and glaring when they didn't look away fast enough.

"The Heir is driving us nuts. It's half hearted at best, these attacks on the Mudbloods." Theodore sneered, his eyes flashed with recognition when Harry involuntarily flinched at the term.

"Good news, though." he stated, his eyes flickering to Ron.

Draco's eyes flashed in warning and Theodore said nothing.

"Father sent this to me today, told me to give it to Weasley. Don't think I'll do it though. I'd rather frame it."

Theodore handed Draco a newspaper clipping and Draco's eyes narrowed as he read it, allowing Harry and Ron to read discreetly over his shoulder, no matter how much it irked him.

**INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC**

Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, was today fined fifty Galleons for bewitching a Muggle car.

Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the enchanted car crashed earlier this year, called today for Mr. Weasley's resignation.

"Weasley has brought the Ministry into disrepute," Mr. Malfoy told our reporter. "He is clearly unfit to draw up our laws and his ridiculous Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately."

Mr. Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told reporters to clear off or she'd set the family ghoul on them.

Theodore gave Ron a pointed look. "Funny isn't it."

Draco felt Harry elbow Ron in the ribs when the boy opened his mouth to retort.

"Funny, isn't it." Katelyn said, coming up behind Theodore's chair. "Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand and join them," she stated, oblivious to Draco's dangerous flashing eyes and Fallen's soft growling. "You'd never know the Weasleys were purebloods, the way they behave."

"You'd never know that you were anything but an insect the way you behave, so I don't see much of a difference." Draco drawled, stretching his legs out in front of him.

Katelyn scowled. "Watch your tongue, Draco. You're in my territory now."

Draco smirked slowly. "Dear cousin, you should know by now." he leaned forward. "Slytherin is Mine." he leaned back. "Malfoy you may be, cousin, you are still a female. No amount of respect could ever make up for that…oversight, of Uncle Nat's." he sneered.

'_**Your hour is nearly up, children. Get a move on before they change back in the middle of the Slytherin common room.'**_ Fallen snapped.

Draco rolled his neck calmly, acting as if he hadn't heard the wolf. "I came to tell you that I was borrowing Crabbe and Goyle for an hour. My father's coming to visit the school. And I need to keep up appearances." he stated, standing. "Nott, Katelyn." he nodded to them both and began to walk towards the entrance to the common room.

"Crabbe, Goyle, hurry up." he snapped.

Fallen trotted along at the boys' heals.

Two corridors away, the transformation back began and Draco and Fallen kept look out while the two changed back. He slid the bag, wrapped in Harry's invisibility cloak off his shoulders and handed it to the two boys. The quickly changed into the robes packed into it by Hermione in advance and they took off for Snape's Potion's lab at almost a run.

They were met half way by Yoko and Blaise, both panting.

Fallen stiffened as he looked over Yoko and Fallen.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

Blaise gasped for air. "Dark ordered an attack. Hermione's in the hospital wing."

Draco ran a soothing hand over Fallen's hackles, and the group headed in the opposite direction they were going, much slower now, so that Blaise could catch his breath.

"**He attacked you, didn't he."** Fallen stated. **"A run like that shouldn't have tired you out, Yoko."**

Yoko growled quietly. **"Yes. He attacked us. Seconds after telling us that he had no choice, and that there was still enough control that an order is an order."**

Ron shrugged the near empty bag, now holding the Slytherin robes and invisibility cloak higher onto his shoulder. "It doesn't matter. He's breaking the control. Isn't that a good thing. She's alive isn't she. Dark's orders usually end in death." he stated.

Draco nodded. "He's going to need one hell of an excuse should Dark hear that he left her injured, but not dead if he wants to escape punishment, or more of Dark's power."

"I've been meaning to ask about that." Blaise said, looking at the two guardians. "How is Dark able to use his elemental power so frequently when you two had to struggle all the time."

"**Dark spent more time at Hogwarts than we did. He was here all the time, spying on Dumbledore or tormenting the students for the hell of it, even when we weren't. His powers adapted in that time, just as mine did last year. It takes time, but it's possible."** Yoko stated.

"**He's more dangerous, because not only is he more adapted to Hogwart's magic as well as that of normal wizards and muggle energy, he's Arcana's older brother. He was disowned, so Arcana got the throne instead. A few of us believe that he at one point had a thing for Tarana. Since about 2000 years ago, he's been convincing people to 'feed' him their energy. It eventually kills them. It works like Muggle AIDS or cancer, so there's no way to tell who he's killed and who actually died from the diseases."** Fallen added.

Blaise whistled. "There really is a lot about you guys that we don't know, isn't there." he whispered.

Yoko smirked up at him. **"I'm sure that you'll figure most of it out before long, Blaise."** Draco shook his head and grabbed Harry's hand.

"Hey Neville." he stated, cutting off all conversation on the subject.

The boy was cowering a few meters from the door. "He-hey guys. I heard about H-Hermione."

Blaise blinked. "Did you visit her?" he asked.

Neville shook his head rapidly. "I was going to but…" his voice dropped to a whisper. "Professor Snape's in there."

Draco snorted. "Don't worry Longbottom. I'll keep my godfather from eating you alive." he said, smirking.

Blaise wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders and herded him towards the Infirmary door, preventing the other boy from running as Ron pushed the doors open, rolling his eyes at Neville's obliviousness.

Even he could see that Blaise desired Neville to be what Harry was to Draco.

Nobody thought to question why the boy was there when he'd told them he was leaving for the holidays.


	13. The Diary and one Hell of a Valentine's

This Chapter was Revised 9/10/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Thirteen: The Secret Diary and One Hell of a Valentine's Day**_

Hermione was in the hospital wing recuperating for weeks.

The boys did nothing to try and stem the rumors of her disappearance, already knowing that it was a worthless attempt.

The school, once it had returned, believed that she had been attacked by the beast in the Chamber of Secrets.

Ron and Blaise visited her every evening, bringing her the homework she missed when the new term started, much to Ron's annoyance.

"If I'd been attacked, I'd take a break from work." he stated, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione's bedside table one evening.

Bandages were wrapped around the young girl's body, the fact that a guardian attacked her making it impossible to fix the injuries by Pomfrey's magic.

"Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," she said, her voice hoarse from the amount of blood that had been spilt from her throat when Arcana's claws caught her. "I don't suppose that you've got any new leads?" she asked in a hoarse whisper, glancing at Pomfrey to make sure she didn't hear.

Blaise shook his head. "Nothing."

"We were so _sure_ it was Katelyn though," Hermione murmured.

She was about to say more, but something caught Ron's eye.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione's pillow.

"Just a get well card," Hermione said, hastily trying to poke it out of sight, but Yoko's eyes flashed and the card appeared in Blaise's hands, and he smirked at her as he opened it, causing her to flush.

"_To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of _Witch Weekly_'s Most-Charming-Smile Award_."

Ron looked at Hermione, disgusted. "You sleep with that under your _pillow_?"

"**I don't know. It's a bit thoughtful."** Fallen drawled, following Harry and Draco into the hospital wing in time to hear the card's contents.

Yoko snorted.

Ron looked at the smirking wolf in horror. "Are you _nuts_?!"

Fallen looked at him, one eye widening to show that he was most likely raising one of the wolf's brows at the red head.

Ron just shook his head.

"I can't believe she sleeps with it under her pillow." Draco stated, his lip curling at the thought.

Hermione was spared answering when Pomfrey swept over with her evening dose of medication to keep out infection and a dose of Dreamless Sleep Potion.

---

"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron asked, as they left the infirmary and started up to Gryffindor Tower for the evening.

Snape, no matter what it looked like when they were alone, hadn't changed much and had given them so much homework that the group, minus Draco, would probably be in sixth year by the time they finished it.

"I forgot to ask Hermione how many tails you're supposed to add to a Hair Raising Po-" he was cut off when Yoko hissed at them to shut up and tilted his head to listen better.

Filch was shouting, and the sound echoed along the corridors until it reached the pointed ears of the wolf and fox.

"_Damn Ghost! Giving even more work for me! I'll be mopping all night, like I haven't got enough to do! No, this is the final straw, I'm going to Dumbledore, that ghost has got to go!_"

Fallen nodded to the children, who had followed the two guardians as they crept closer to the irate caretaker until even they could hear the near hysterical voice.

The sound of a door slamming made Blaise cringe.

"Guess it's not another attack then." he stated, leaning against the wall. It was clear that Filch had been manning his usual lookout post as they were now in the corridor where they had found Mrs. Norris.

At a glance it was obvious what the caretaker had been shouting about. There was a great flood of water stretched over half the corridor, and it looked as though it was still seeping from under the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

Now that Filch wasn't shouting, they could all hear Myrtle's wails as they echoed off her bathroom's walls.

Draco heaved a sigh.

"**Now what's wrong with her?" **Fallen sneered.

"Let's go find out." the blond stated, walking towards the door.

"What's the matter, Myrtle?" Blaise asked, following the blond and Fallen into the room, holding the door open for Ron and Harry to follow Yoko in.

"Who's that?" Myrtle moaned miserably. "Come to throw something else at me?"

Blaise blinked. "Why would I throw something at you?" he asked, wading towards her stall.

"Don't ask me," Myrtle shouted, emerging with a wave of yet more water, which made Draco cringe as it splashed onto the already sopping floor. "Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me…."

Draco moaned quietly.

Harry glanced at him and concentrated. "Think you can get her to calm down enough to talk to us?" he asked privately.

Draco mock glared at him. "How did I know that you were going to ask me that?"

Harry gave him an innocent look that Draco didn't buy for a minute. Taking a deep breath, he put his charm to good use.

"Are you alright, Myrtle?" he asked. "Do you know who threw it at you?"

Blaise raised a brow at him. 'If I didn't know better, I'd say that our friend Malfoy is flirting.' he stated.

Yoko shook his head._** 'Doubt it. Information, however, that we can use.'**_

"_I_ don't know…. I was sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell through the top of my head," Myrtle said, glaring off in the corner. "It's over there, it got washed out…."

Fallen followed her gaze to a sink and gasped.

"**It couldn't **_**possibly**_** be that easy,"** he muttered, approaching it cautiously.

Harry blinked.

"What are you talking about, Fallen?" Draco asked.

Blaise turned from looking around the damp and dark bathroom to look at the wolf as well.

"**Yoko, it's the diary. Riddle's diary."**

Yoko's eyes widened.

Draco rolled his eyes skyward. "What the _fuck_ are you all on about?" Draco snarled.

Fallen's head shot to him. **"Arcana's been giving us warnings about Tom Riddle's diary returning to Hogwarts. Supposedly, he locked a part of himself, as a sixteen year old, away in it, and would feed off of and possess the one who writes back to him. We've been suspicious of your sister, Ron, since she was often seen writing in it."**

Ron shook his head forcefully. "My sister, did _not_ attack all those people."

Yoko sneered at him. **"Of course not. But it doesn't mean that someone else wasn't using her body to do it. Tom Riddle now resides in your sister's mind, Ron. The drain has probably already begun."**

"The what?" Blaise asked worriedly.

"**The drain. It's what we've termed when a spirit begins to feed off of someone's life force to raise their own. The more you write in this diary, the more of your life force is given to bring the spirit back to life. Your sister **_**has**_** been writing in this diary, Ron, she can't be trusted."**

"But she got rid of it, didn't she. She's free right." he said worriedly.

Fallen shook his head. **"It's not nearly that simple. She doesn't realize that she's already being drained. There are blank spots in her memory that are probably slowing falling into place. Waking up in strange places, flashes, all of this will force her to want answers. Answers that she believes only lie in this diary. So she kept going back to it, asking Tom questions that he replied to, giving half truths and most likely lies. She's probably confided half of her secrets into it, which will make her mind vulnerable. Whether she has the diary in her possession or not, Ron, she is bound to it."**

Draco grew thoughtful. "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

The wind picked up, and the water began to form words in the air.

_Tom Marvolo Riddle_.

Yoko closed his eyes as Hogwarts answered Draco's question, rearranging the letters to form new words.

_I am Lord Voldemort_.

"Fuck." Harry hissed, taking a step away from the words.

"**Tom Riddle was and is Lord Voldemort. His dream at school, was to become a wizard that people would fear to speak of. It worked. Now it's something different. Now that you know this, the most important thing, is to pretend we don't know it. Let him pick the next move. But most of all, we can't touch this diary. No one is to write in it, and no one is to let Ginny get to it."** Yoko commanded.

Ron's eyes suddenly lit up. "Tom Riddle. T. M. Riddle!"

"**What?"**

"Tom Riddle got an award for services to the school, if he's the Heir of Slytherin, why did he get awarded for it?"

Fallen and Yoko looked at the diary in silence for a moment.

"**Don't know. I wasn't even aware that he **_**got**_** an award for anything he did at the school. I know that Dumbledore didn't trust him, even when he was teaching here."**

Blaise's gaze flickered from the two of them, to the diary. "I think…only the diary can tell us that." he whispered.

Yoko snarled. **"You're not going to write in it."**

Blaise's eyes flashed defiantly. "Why not? You said yourselves that the connection between Riddle and Ginny was already there. And only writing once in it, isn't going to create one."

Yoko shook his head. **"No, Blaise."**

Blaise smirked. "I was raised a Slytherin as well, Yoko, it wasn't just Draco. If I really want to find out, do you think you'd be able to stop me?"

Yoko's eyes bled from anger, defiance, and protectiveness to disbelief.

Blaise was pulling out all the stops to get what he wanted.

"We'll make a deal." Harry stated, stepping between the two. "Blaise won't enter the diary unless we have to, and Yoko, if we have to, we'll let him. He's got a point that he won't have a connection created with Tom and even if he did, unlike Ginny, you'd know about it."

Yoko looked at his chosen dejectedly. **"Alright…."**

Blaise nodded stiffly.

Harry nodded to both of them and picked up the diary, flipping it over.

"Vauxhill Road…."

"Where is that?" Draco asked.

"It's a muggle street." Harry said in disbelief. "Voldemort is muggle-born."

Draco took a step back as if he'd been struck and shivered. "My father…he served a-a muggle born." he closed his eyes and laughed bitterly. "He'd be pissed if he found out about that."

Blaise, Harry, and Ron exchanged glances, suddenly worried for their friend's mental health.

---

Hermione left the hospital wing at the beginning of February, and the boys showed her Riddle's diary and told her everything they knew about it.

She wasn't happy.

"This diary belonged to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and you didn't get rid of it?!" she screeched.

Fallen rolled his eyes skyward. **"No. This diary in the hands of anyone else, would be deadly."**

"But-"

"No, Hermione." Harry said shortly. "We're not getting rid of it. Better that we have it, than Ginny gets it back and keeps writing in it."

Hermione subsided, seeing as how she was outnumbered.

---

Harry sat on his bed, the diary sat in front of him.

He didn't know why he couldn't leave it alone.

It had belonged to Voldemort.

_Why is this bothering me so much?_ he asked silently, leaning back against his pillows. _This shouldn't bother me at all. Voldemort killed my parents._

With a snarl, he kicked it off his bed, not even realizing that it landed in his school bag.

---

The sun had begun to shine weakly on Hogwarts again. Inside the school, the mood began to lift, as there were no more attacks since Nick and Justin.

Pomfrey was also pleased to note that the mandrakes were becoming moody and secretive, meaning they were leaving childhood quickly.

"The moment their acne clears up, they'll be ready for repotting again," Harry heard her telling Filch kindly one afternoon. "And after that, it won't be long until we're cutting them up and stewing them. You'll have Mrs. Norris back in no time."

Rumors began spreading that the Heir of Slytherin had lost his nerve.

Ernie MacMillan was one of the few who didn't take this cheerful view on matters. He was convinced that Harry was the Heir and had given himself away at the Dueling Club.

Peeves hadn't been helping, appearing in crowded corridors and singing one of the songs he'd come up with, now with a dance routine to match it.

Blaise and Ron had taken care of that one with a bit of help from the Weasley twins, threatening exorcism if he didn't tone it down.

Lockhart however, seemed to think _he_ was the reason the attacks stopped.

Draco and Hermione had over heard him talking to McGonagall as the Gryffindors lined up for Transfiguration.

"I don't think there'll be any more trouble, Minerva," he said, tapping his nose knowingly and winking. "I think the Chamber has been locked for good this time. The culprit must have known it was only a matter of time before I caught him. Rather sensible to stop now, before came down hard on him." McGonagall snorted quietly, but Lockhart didn't seem to hear her. "You know, what the school needs now is a morale-booster. Wash away the memories of last term! I won't say any more just now, but I think I know just the thing…."

He tapped his nose again and strode off.

Draco rolled his eyes and muttered to his professor, "If he thinks that's making us curious, he's wrong on so many levels." McGonagall had given him an amused smile and ushered him into the classroom.

---

Lockhart's idea of a morale-booster became clear at breakfast time on February fourteenth.

Harry hadn't had much sleep, his worries over the diary's contents, and its previous owner, were coming to him in the form of nightmares, only made worse by his fears of the school and the people in it, without Tarana.

So when he got a rather blissful night's sleep, woken by Draco just before breakfast, he was in a rather upbeat mood, despite all the crap that had happened to him over the past few months.

His good mood shattered, when he entered the Great Hall.

The walls were covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling.

Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table, where Ron was sitting looking sickened, Hermione was over come with giggles, Neville looked frightened, and Blaise and Draco were hiding angry and disgusted expressions behind indifferent masks.

"What the hell has the moron done now?" he asked annoyed that his good mood had been destroyed. Draco's eyes flashed slightly. "I was having such a great day until I walked in here."

Draco snorted, and Harry couldn't help but wonder if it was really relief that he picked up from the blond.

Ron pointed to the teacher's table, apparently too disgusted to speak.

Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, was waving for silence. The teachers on either side of him didn't look pleased. McGonagall had a muscle going in her cheek, and Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Gro.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all-and it doesn't end here!" Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs.

To Fallen's horror, Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.

"My friendly, card carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today, delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a love potion! And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"

Flitwick buried his face in his hands.

Fallen read the look on Snape's face and smirked. **"The first one to ask Snape about a Love Potion gets force-fed poison!"** he said cheerfully.

A few Gryffindors and a number of Slytherins snickered.

---

"Please, Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six," Ron pleaded as they left the Great Hall for their first lessons.

Yoko rolled his eyes when Hermione became interested in searching her bag for her schedule and said nothing.

Matt found _that_ situation far too amusing. **'Weasley's jealous.'** he sang to Fallen.

Fallen rose his eyes to Draco's in annoyance.

The blonde only smirked at him.

---

All day long, the dwarf's kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, to the annoyance of teachers, and late that afternoon as the Gryffindors were walking upstairs for Charms, one of the dwarf's caught up with Harry, and depending on your point of view, his day got a bit better.

"Oy, you! 'Arry Potter!" shouted a particularly grim-looking dwarf, elbowing people out of the way to get to Harry.

Draco gave an impressive hiss and stepped in front of his friend.

The dwarf blinked and scowled at him. "I've got a musical message to deliver to 'Arry Potter in person."

Draco growled. "Well to do that, you'll need to get through me and if you do that, you'll be dead."

The dwarf didn't take well to the threat and shoved the blond to the ground.

Fallen lunged, tearing the harp to pieces when the dwarf threw it at him. The red wolf's magic rose around him, swirling and the third eye made an appearance on his head, shimmering in and out of existence as if he was attempting keep his anger in control.

Yoko hissed viciously and the vines split the stone in half as the wrapped around the dwarf, tearing it's head from it's body and tossing both parts to the ground, where the wind began slicing what remained to pieces, and sinking back.

The dark blood and body parts remained on the broken stone.

A line of first years looked green and Harry knelt beside Fallen, scratching soothingly behind his ears as Draco moved around the hole in the floor to reach them.

Fallen leaned into the soothing touch and his magic sank back into his fur.

Draco ruffled the back of Harry's hair. "You alright?" he whispered.

Harry smiled slightly, nodding and stood. "Come on, we're going to be late, Draco." he said quietly.

"What's this?" Katelyn's voice made the two boys spin around.

The Slytherin was kneeling next to Harry's school bag, which he'd dropped when the dwarf had pushed Draco to the ground. It had fallen open and it's contents now lay beside the hole in the floor.

However, in Katelyn's hand, was Riddle's diary.

"Give that back." Harry whispered.

"Wonder what Potter's written in this," she sneered, showing it to Crabbe and Goyle.

"What did she _not_ see the year on the cover?" Blaise murmured, making both Harry and Draco jump as his voice appeared in their minds. Blaise smirked slightly. "Yoko's been teaching me, just as Fallen's been teaching you."

Draco shook off his shock first, Harry noticed Ginny was staring from Harry to the diary in horror.

Fallen growled quietly. _**'Fuck. If Ginny gets her hands on that diary again, she won't let it out of the girl's dorms, and I don't trust Hermione to get it.'**_ he snarled.

Draco's wand slid into his hand with a light flick of his wrist. "Hand it over, Katelyn. We don't want a repeat of the Duel Club do we?" he stated dangerously.

"What's all this commotion?" Percy asked, arriving on the scene.

Draco smirked, ignoring him, eyes only for his cousin.

"After I've read what's inside it." Katelyn stated, waving it tauntingly.

Harry's eyes narrowed behind Draco.

"Enough." he murmured. "_Expelliarmus_." Harry hissed.

Ron grinned, catching it while Hermione looked on disapprovingly, though there was more than a hint of relief in her eyes.

"Harry!" Percy said loudly. "No magic in the corridors. I'll have to report this, you know."

Harry ignored him and walked over to start shoving things back into his bag.

"Oh put a sock in it, Weasley." Draco sneered, his wand already sliding back into his robes as he walked over to Harry and helped him gather his things.

---

Later that night, the group was in the Snape's office, and Snape was looking over the diary, having been explained as to why they wanted him to look at a fifty year old diary of some muggle-born.

At dinner, Blaise, Harry, and Draco managed to talk the others into letting Blaise write in the diary, as Ginny now knew that they had it and would most likely do just about anything to get it back.

Hermione had only agreed as long as they got a professor to look over it.

By the look on her face at this point, it was obvious that Snape wasn't the professor she had in mind.

"Where did you find this?" Snape asked for the second time, setting it down.

"Someone tried to flush it," Harry said dryly.

Snape raised a brow.

Harry shrugged.

Snape sighed. "There is no reason, that you shouldn't be able to write in the diary. As long as you don't write in it anymore than you have to." he stated, looking at Blaise. "No matter what you do, do not let Tom in on anything that will let him in on the fact that you know who he is and what he's been doing."

Blaise nodded in understanding. "Thanks Professor."

Snape nodded, leaning back.

He deliberately let a few thoughts fly through his mind. _Any luck on finding out what the monster is?_

'_**Fallen believes it's the King of Serpents. We still don't know where the Chamber itself is, though.'**_

Snape sighed. "If you're going to use a name, I suggest using Potter's."

Draco raised a brow. "Why?"

"Because you told me that the Weasley girl had it before you did and that she's probably been spilling her secrets into it. If you want to catch Tom's attention, use Potter's name."

Harry groaned and buried his face in his hands, but nodded. "Alright." he muttered around his hands.

Snape smirked and stood.

"Good, now get out of my office."

Once outside, Ron released his breath heavily. "We spend more time in that git's office…." he trailed off at Draco's murderous look.

---

Back in the empty dorm, the entire of Gryffindor's house was doing homework or hanging out in the common room, Fallen and Yoko put up their most powerful secrecy charms and spells of both worlds and turned to the Gryffindors.

"**It's safe."** Fallen said.

"**Or as safe as it's going to get."** Yoko added.

"How does the diary work?" Blaise asked, opening it to the first page of the diary.

"**Just write on it. Riddle will write back using your ink."** Yoko said distantly.

Blaise nodded and took a deep breath, exhaling it as the other four spread out on beds and the floor around him so they could read as well.

My name is Harry Potter.

The response took a moment or two.

_Hello Harry Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?_

Blaise looked up at the others.

"Go with the truth. It'll sound a bit more believable than any lie we come up with." Ron said.

Blaise nodded and went back to the diary.

Someone tried to flush it down a toilet.

Riddle took a moment to reply.

_Lucky that I recorded my memories in some more lasting way than ink. But I always knew that there would be those who would not want this diary read._

Draco's eyes narrowed. "He's leading us on. Sev was right. We've caught his attention and now he's attempting to keep it."

What do you mean?

_I mean that this diary holds memories of terrible things. Things that were covered up. Things that happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

Harry snorted. "Cover up a snake attacking students? No, you don't say."

That's where I am now. I'm at Hogwarts, and horrible stuff's been happening. Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?

Blaise's writing shook slightly as they continued to play along to Tom Riddle's game.

"Check." he heard Ron murmur above him.

_Of course I know about the Chamber of Secrets. In my day, they told us it was a legend, that it did not exist. But this was a lie. In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who'd opened the Chamber and he was expelled. But the Headmaster, Professor Dippet, ashamed that such a thing had happened at Hogwarts, forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died in a freak accident. They gave me a nice, shiny, engraved trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I knew it could happen again. The monster lived on, and the one who had the power to release it was not imprisoned._

Hermione snorted. "There, we have the information, let it go."

Draco shook his head. "No. We need to keep up the game. Ron's right. He thinks that he's got us hooked by explaining this, we've asked all these questions. It'll be suspicious if we don't finish it."

Hermione scowled. "You're talking about a diary, Draco!"

Draco sneered at her. "No, we're talking about a soul diary. The fact that it's answering for itself is proof of that." he turned to Blaise. "Finish it."

Blaise nodded and returned the quill to the page.

It's happening again now. There have been three attacks and no one seems to know who's behind them. Who was it last time?

Hermione held her breath.

_I can show you, if you like. You don't have to take my word for it. I can take you inside my memory of the night when I caught him._

Blaise looked up. "Shall I?"

"I?" Hermione almost screeched.

Ron cleaned out his ear. "Yes Hermione. Riddle thinks that he's only been talking to one person. More of us going in will give us away and the game is forfeit."

"Game." Hermione sneered. "You think of this as a game?! Blaise could get hurt!"

"**No he can't, Granger. It's only a memory. And Blaise is bound to Yoko, a bond can't be formed **_**inside**_** the diary."** Fallen stated.

Hermione groaned. "I thought we weren't writing in this thing. You both said so yourselves."

"**Yes. However, the boys have come up with a way to fool the diary. Snape was right. Ginny is enamored with Harry. Most of her secrets are bound to be tied to him. We caught his interest and now it's time to keep it. She's probably told him everything about this world. Including that Harry killed off his older self at a year old. Tom Riddle, is showing off now, attempting to gain 'Harry's' trust enough to form another bond. As long as Blaise doesn't actually trust the diary, no bond can be formed and Blaise is safe."**

Hermione felt all feeling leave her. "Alright." she whispered quietly.

Blaise looked at the diary, showing new words from Riddle.

_Let me show you._

Blaise looked up. **"Everyone, move by the door. Anyone on that side of the diary will be drawn into the memory."** Yoko stated, his voice subdued. **"When you enter the diary, you won't be seen by anyone. But stick with Tom. It's his memory, stray and you'll get caught in it, unable to get out."**

OK

The pages of the diary began to blow as though caught in a high wind, stopping halfway through the month of June.

Blaise's eyes flashed as he noticed that the small square for June thirteenth seemed to have turned into a miniscule screen. Closing his eyes he felt himself tilted into the diary.

"Mate." Ron whispered gravely.

_**---**_

He felt his feet hit solid ground, and stood, shaking, as the blurred shapes around him came suddenly into focus.

The circular room looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place where he'd seen it before. Behind the desk, a wizened, frail-looking wizard, bald except for a few wisps of hair, was reading a letter by candlelight.

Blaise had never seen this man before, and judging by the man's appearance fifty years ago, he was probably dead by his time.

There was a knock on the door, not fifteen minutes later. "Enter," the wizard called in a feeble voice.

A boy of about sixteen entered, taking off his pointed hat. A silver prefect's badge was glinting on his chest. He was a bit taller than Blaise, and had the same color hair as the Zabini heir did.

"Ah, Riddle." the wizard said.

"You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" Riddle asked.

Blaise narrowed his eyes.

This was the headmaster's office.

"Sit down," Dippet said. "I've just been reading the letter you sent me."

"Oh," Riddle said. He sat down, gripping his hands together very tightly.

"My dear boy," the Headmaster said kindly. "I cannot possibly let you stay at school over the summer. Surely you want to go home for the holidays?"

"No," Riddle said at once. "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to that-to that-"

Dippet cut in curiously. "You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, I believe?"

"Yes, sir," Riddle said, reddening slightly.

Blaise couldn't tell whether it was embarrassment, anger, or something else that made the teenager flush.

"You are muggle-born?"

"Half blood, sir," Riddle said, this time, there was no mistaking the contempt. "Muggle father, witch mother."

"And both your parents-?"

"My mother died just after I was born, sir. They told me at the orphanage she lived just long enough to name me-Tom after my father, Marvolo after my grandfather."

Blaise tilted his head, observing the fact that Riddle's body language drew him to believe that the topic was difficult for him.

Tom Riddle hated talking about his family.

Dippet clucked his tongue sympathetically. "The thing is, Tom," he sighed. "special arrangements might have been made for you, but in the current circumstances…."

"You mean all these attacks, sir?" Riddle asked.

Blaise's eyes widened slightly and he took a step forward.

"Precisely," the headmaster said, nodding minutely. "My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you to remain at the castle when term ends. Particularly in light of the recent tragedy…the death of that poor little girl…. You will be safer by far at your orphanage. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic is even now talking about closing the school. We are no nearer locating the-er-source of all this unpleasantness…."

Riddle's eyes had widened.

Blaise read deeper into the fear that the Headmaster didn't seem to notice.

He hadn't expected the school to be closed.

Hogwarts, much like it was for Blaise and Harry, had become his home away from their blood/'foster' homes.

"Sir-if the person was caught-if it all stopped-"

Blaise's eyes widened in surprise.

He was willing to stop his attack on muggle-borns, because Hogwarts was in danger of being shut down.

Dippet's voice began to squeak. "What do you mean? Riddle, do you know something about these attacks?"

"No, sir," Riddle said, a flash of panic evident in his eyes.

Dippet evidently didn't see it. The old man sank back, looking faintly disappointed. "You may go, Tom…."

Blaise followed Riddle out of the room.

---

Blaise watched as Riddle thought, alone in the corridor, he watched as Riddle's eyes sharpened with anger.

The boy was good at hiding his emotions. He couldn't help but wonder, if the Riddle in the diary believed that he wouldn't pick up on the different facial expressions that he made, that a twelve year old boy would be able to pick out the emotions.

For a split second, Blaise thanks his father. If he hadn't been so abusive, Blaise wouldn't have needed to learn how to pick out the older Zabini's emotions to keep himself safer when his mother died.

Then Riddle began to move and the fleeting moment was gone. The two didn't see another person until they reached the entrance hall, when a tall wizard with long, sweeping auburn hair and a beard called to Riddle from the marble staircase.

"What are you doing, wandering around this late, Tom?"

Blaise's eyes widened and it took all of his Slytherin control, not to gasp out loud. The man before him, was a fifty year younger Albus Dumbledore.

"I had to see the headmaster, sir," Riddle said, his eyes shimmering in the dimming sunlight.

"Well, hurry off to bed," Dumbledore said, giving Riddle a penetrating stare. "Best not to roam the corridors these days. Not since…."

He sighed heavily, bade Riddle good night, and strode off.

Riddle watched him walk out of sight, and his eyes began to glitter with a different reason.

Hatred.

Complete and utter loathing poured out of the youth's eyes to hit Dumbledore in the back.

Riddle waited a moment, before moving swiftly down the stairs to the dungeons, with Blaise a few steps behind him.

Riddle led him to the very room that he had Potions with Snape.

The torches hadn't been lit, and when Riddle pushed the door almost closed, Blaise felt something odd. His eyes burned, and the darkness faded.

Despite the darkness, Blaise could see everything, clear as day. Despite the fact that because this was a memory, and he shouldn't be able to see anymore than Riddle remembered, Blaise saw everything.

As Blaise got over the shock, Riddle moved.

Blaise followed and the burning faded.

Had anyone else looked at him, they would have seen a green film disappearing into his eyes.

---

For about five minutes, the two boys followed the footsteps, until Riddle stopped and suddenly, his head inclined in the direction of new noises.

Blaise crept closer and heard a door creak open, and then someone speaking in a hoarse whisper.

"C'mon…gotta get yeh outta here….C'mon now…in the box…"

There was something familiar about the voice and Blaise's quick mind was already placing the voice with a person.

As Blaise came to his conclusion, Riddle jumped around the corner.

Blaise unconsciously followed.

"Evening Rubeus."

The voice belonged to Rubeus Hagrid.

Blaise was flung from the memory in shock. Tom Riddle had blamed the attacks on Hagrid.

---

Yoko paced unhappily for almost half an hour.

The diary lay untouched on the bed.

Fallen watched his mate's distress, knowing that nothing he did would calm the fox until his charge returned.

When the diary began to glow, Yoko was already turned to it, before Draco and the others had looked up from their game of Exploding Snap.

Blaise was hit with a silver fox, whining in distress.

The black haired boy blinked down at the fox, who was nuzzling his chest. "Yoko?" he muttered curiously, running a soothing hand down the fox's hackles. "What happened to him?"

"**He's a worried parent."** Fallen drawled, moving to the boy's bed.

"You alright?" Ron asked, putting his cards down with the others and walking over.

Blaise shook his head and Yoko growled.

Blaise hurried to reassure his guardian. "I wasn't hurt. Nothing happened. But…Riddle blamed the attacks on Hagrid." he whispered. "He made people believe that Hagrid was the Heir of Slytherin."

The room was silent before Ron spoke.

"WHAT?!?!"


	14. The Minister's Mistake

This Chapter was Revised 9/10/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Fourteen: The Minister's Mistake**_

Draco couldn't blame Riddle.

He'd have found a perfect person to blame everything on in Hagrid. His love for dangerous creatures would make him the perfect target to pin all the blame on, too.

Blaise had told everyone what he'd seen, and Harry could tell that he was regretting going into it, Yoko never left him alone now, and Hermione wouldn't stop asking questions.

He was sure that they'd had the same conversation after each retelling of his trip into Riddle's memory too:

"Riddle _might_ have got the wrong person," Hermione said. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people…."

"How many monsters d'you think this place can hold?" Ron asked dully.

"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled," said Harry miserably. "And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have gotten his award."

Draco rolled his eyes. "We already know that Riddle is the Heir of Slytherin. He's smart. He wouldn't attack again after pinning the blame on Hagrid. Ginny's most likely told him that Hagrid's still here on the grounds, making it easy for someone to say that just because Hagrid is on the grounds, the attacks are his fault."

---

A week later, Blaise made them swear that they wouldn't ask Hagrid about it unless there was another attack.

After this, the subject was dropped and rarely spoke of again.

Around the Easter holidays, the second years were given something else to think about.

They needed to choose the subjects they'd take for their third year.

It was a matter that Hermione took far too seriously.

"It could affect our whole future," she told the boys as they pored over lists of new subjects, marking them with checks.

"I just want to give up Potions, no offense Draco, but your godfather works us like dogs." Harry said.

"None taken." Draco said, twirling his quill idly while watching the others pick courses. His finished list sitting on the table in front of him.

"We can't," Ron added gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"But that's very important!" Hermione said shocked.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it," Blaise stated, looking up from his list. "I haven't learned a thing from him, other than to not set pixies loose when Fallen's not around." He grinned at the wolf lounging by the fire with Yoko.

---

Draco glanced at Neville, who was sitting at the far corner of the room, as far away from the group as he possibly could.

'Wonder what's up with Neville.' he said to Fallen.

Fallen's eyes opened lazily to look at the boy. _**'Something's on his mind…'**_

'Something?'

'_**That's not like Neville…his mind is like a snake. He just threw me out.'**_

'What?' Fallen frowned. _**'I think that Neville's seen something, something that probably could have helped us in the long run. But someone doesn't want us to know it.'**_

'But why do that? If it is Riddle, then why not just attack him and get it over with?'

'_**Because he's a pureblood. And it's not his place to get rid of purebloods.'**_ Fallen answered, closing his eyes. _**'I wish Tarana was here. While not as good as Dark, she was pretty good at prying around mind illusions like that snake.'**_

Draco said nothing, letting Fallen have his moment.

---

In the end, Harry chose a variety of subjects, all of which he had with Draco, Blaise, or Ron.

_If I'm lousy at them, at least one of them can help._ he theorized.

Gryffindor's next Quidditch match was against Hufflepuff.

Wood insisted on practices every night after dinner so Harry and Draco rarely had time for anything other than Quidditch and homework.

However, the training sessions were getting better, or at least drier.

---

The evening before Saturday's match, Harry and Draco felt they had a pretty good chance at winning.

However, Harry's cheerful mood didn't last long.

At the top of the stairs, to the dormitory, Neville looked frantic. "Harry-I don't know who did it-I just found-"

Watching Harry fearfully, Neville pushed open the door.

Harry's eyes widened.

The contents of Harry's trunk had been thrown everywhere.

His cloak lay ripped on the floor. The blankets and sheets had been pulled off his four-poster and the drawer had been pulled out of his bedside cabinet, the contents strewn over the mattress.

Neville rung his hands together nervously.

Draco put a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, Neville. It's not your fault. We'll just help him put it all back, alright?"

Neville nodded, letting out a nervous breath.

Harry smiled soothingly. "I don't blame you, Neville. Don't worry."

Neville smiled back shakily as the three entered the room.

Harry and Draco exchanged knowing glances as they put the blankets back on the bed.

As they knelt to help Neville pick up the papers, from the floor, Ron, Blaise, Dean, and Seamus came in.

Yoko shot Fallen a look.

Dean swore loudly. "What happened, Harry?"

"No idea." Harry lied.

Ron was examining Harry's robes. All the pockets were hanging out.

"Someone's been looking for something," Ron said. "Is there anything missing?" he asked worriedly.

Harry threw the last of his things into his trunk and closed his eyes, suspicions confirmed.

"The diary is gone."

---

They woke the next day to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.

"Perfect Quidditch conditions," Wood said enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table.

Draco, who had he been in the tower and not in the Great Hall, wanted to see Wood's legs on the other side of the room.

Fallen snorted. **"He's not much of a morning person is he, Harry. Think you can handle **_**that**_** every morning?"** he asked sarcastically.

'**I wouldn't.'** Matt muttered.

'_**No one asked you, Matt.'**_

Harry snorted.

Draco rolled his eyes and went back to his breakfast.

Hermione nudged Harry in the side. "Why won't you report it?" she asked.

Harry rolled his eyes. "We've been over this already. If I report it, then I need to explain everything. How we got the diary, what it does, everything. And I can't do that yet."

"Hey, you done yet, Harry?" Draco asked, standing. "We need to get our stuff from the dorm." Harry nodded and stood as well, following his friend from the Hall.

As Harry stepped foot on the marble staircase, he froze.

"Harry?"

"_Kill this time…let me rip…tear…"_

"The snake is back." Harry whispered.

Draco turned to look at him fully. "Harry-"

"Oh my God!" Hermione stood behind them, a hand on her forehead. "Harry-I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library."

"Hermione-"

"Don't worry, I'll get Blaise and Yoko to come with me." she sprinted past the two up the stairs.

"_What_ does she understand?" Harry asked, annoyed.

"I've got no idea, but we've got a match in twenty minutes." Draco stated, grabbing his hand and pulling him up the stairs.

---

At the pitch, after the teams had changed, Draco wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulder, pulling him close enough to murmur in his ear without being heard.

"Don't worry." he whispered. "Almost everyone is out here to watch the game, remember. And those who aren't are with Yoko. Just concentrate on the game."

The teams walked onto the field to deafening applause.

Wood took off for a warm-up flight around the goal posts; Hooch released the balls.

The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute discussion of tactics.

_Not that it'll do them much good._ Draco sneered, fingering his Nimbus Two Thousand and One.

Harry and Draco were racing around the pitch for the third time when McGonagall came half marching, half running across the grass.

Harry could just make out an enormous purple megaphone.

"This match has been cancelled," McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium.

---

As the two landed, Fallen let out a pain-filled howl.

Draco's eyes widened. "Yoko." he whispered to Harry.

"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of House will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

She lowered the megaphone and beckoned Harry over to her. "Potter, I think you'd better come with me…."

Draco gapped at her.

_She couldn't possibly believe that he did anything this time could she?_

"Malfoy, you and Weasley as well."

Harry, Draco, and Ron, who had run up to them when people began to head up to the castle, followed her out of the stadium.

"This will come as a bit of a shock," McGonagall said in a surprisingly gentle voice as they approached the infirmary. "There has been another attack…a _triple_ attack.

Fallen sprinted past them and Draco called after him before following, leaving McGonagall behind.

"Draco! Fallen!" Harry glanced at McGonagall. "I'm sorry, Professor." he said, before running after the two.

McGonagall looked at Ron, eyebrow raised.

"Nope. I want to know what's going on." Ron said.

McGonagall nodded and pushed the door open and he followed her in.

Pomfrey was bending over a fifth-year girl with long, curly hair and a Ravenclaw badge on her robes.

On either side of her, was Blaise and Hermione.

"They were found near the library," McGonagall said. "I don't suppose you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them…." She was holding up a small, circular mirror.

Ron shook his head sadly.

"I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower," McGonagall said heavily. "I need to address the students in any case."

As the two left the infirmary, Ron blinked and paused. "Professor, when you found Blaise and Hermione, did you find Yoko anywhere?"

McGonagall shook her head. "No, the three of them were alone."

"Oh…"

---

Harry and Draco followed the soft sounds of Fallen sprinting through the halls. As they neared Myrtle's bathroom, the sounds stopped and Fallen growled.

Turning the corner, they could see why. Yoko lay on his side, his blood mixed with a black poison. The bite wounds on his entire body were deep, one wound seemed to go through his entire body.

Draco closed his eyes and stepped forward. "Fallen?" he asked quietly.

"**He's barely alive…."** Fallen snarled.

"Then move and let us help him, Fallen. Unless of course you know something the rest of us don't." Harry snapped.

Fallen glared at him.

And Harry met it.

"Move Fallen."

Fallen lowered his gaze and stepped away.

"Do you even know what you're doing, Harry?" Draco asked.

Harry shrugged. "Not really. But over the summer, Tarana told me that her magic, the elemental and guardian, was based off of will, a lot like wandless or wild, which is what unicorns use. I'm just kind of going with it." He closed his eyes and Draco took a step back, giving his friend room to do whatever it was that he was doing.

Harry pictured Yoko as he knew him to be. Protective, caring, smart, and quick on his feet.

He pictured the broken form before him and overlapped the two images.

He could feel his body grow warm.

_Please. Please work. I can't lose anyone else._

---

Draco felt Fallen nudge his fingers, looking for comfort. He knelt, knowing that there was no one around to see the unMalfoyish behavior and watched his friend work.

For ten minutes, there was nothing. Then the entire hallway grew warm and Harry began to take on a black tint to his skin.

His fingers caressed each wound and they closed in their wake.

Yoko's tail twitched as he touched it and then, like a vacuum had been turned on, the heat and light were sucked back into his skin and Harry collapsed beside the fox, inconscious.

Fallen whined, reminding Draco more of a dog than a wolf. "Come on. Let's get Yoko to the infirmary. Then take Harry back to the Tower to rest." Draco muttered, picking Harry up as gently as he could.

---

As Draco walked into the common room, he saw McGonagall opening a roll of parchment. She looked up at him, then glanced pointedly at Harry. "Mr. Malfoy?"

"He's fine. Madam Pomfrey told me to make sure he gets sleep." She nodded. "Well, sit down. I need you to hear this before you take him up."

Draco nodded and sat beside Ron on one of the couches, Harry curled up closer to him, half stirring, and Ron leaned over to whisper a question, intentionally obscuring Harry from the view of the rest of the curious Gryffindors. Draco's mouth barely moved in answer and Ron nodded, slowly backing away to refix his attention on his Head of House.

McGonagall nodded, her eyes lingering on the picture they made before she returned to the parchment.

"All students will return to their House common rooms by six o' clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

She rolled up the parchment and looked around at her students. "I hardly need to add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."

She climbed out of the portrait hole, and the students began to talk immediately.

---

Draco stood and brought Harry up to the dorms, laying him on his bed. The brunette stirred slightly, but didn't wake.

Sighing, Draco went back to the common room and dropped into the chair beside Ron and the twins, nodding to Percy.

"What's wrong with him?"

Fred shrugged.

"Percy's in shock," George said quietly. "That Ravenclaw girl-Penelope Clearwater-she's a prefect. I don't think he thought the monster would dare attack a prefect."

Draco narrowed his eyes on the prefect.

_I think there's more to it than that…._

Ron nudged him slightly. "I'm going upstairs. Want to come with, Draco? You can tell me what was up with Fallen."

Draco nodded and followed the red head back up to the dorms.

"What are we gonna do?" Ron asked as he sat on his bed, crossing his legs and staring at Draco on Harry's bed. "Talk to Hagrid?"

"Yeah. _We_ know it's not him. But I doubt the others do. Hell maybe he knows something we don't."

"But McGonagall said we've got to stay in our tower unless we're in class-"

"I think," Harry whispered, making the two boys jump in surprise. "It's time to get my dad's old cloak out again."

---

Harry had inherited just one thing from his father: a long and silvery Invisibility Cloak.

It was their only chance of sneaking out of the school to visit Hagrid without anyone knowing about it.

The trio went to bed at the usual time, waited until Neville, Seamus, and Dean had stopped discussing the Chamber and finally went to bed, before they got up and moved silently down to the Common Room, Invisibility Cloak in hand.

With Fallen wandering around, completely visible, the Fat Lady didn't even bother to question why she opened when there were no humans present.

It was no secret, that Fallen loved Yoko, after all.

---

Although Draco had protested vehemently, Harry joined them as they walked the corridors.

Although they had all wandered the halls of Hogwarts many times, none had seen them so crowded after sunset.

Teachers, prefects, and ghosts were all marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for anything out of the ordinary.

While the Invisibility Cloak prevented them from being seen, it didn't stop them from making noise.

There was a moment when Ron stubbed his toe where Snape and Filch were standing guard.

Fortunately, Snape sneezed at the same moment that Ron swore.

Once they were far away from the door, Draco elbowed him.

"OW! What the hell was that for?!"

"You wouldn't last a second under any type of pain, Weasley. You stubbed your _toe_ and couldn't wait a few minutes until we got outside before you said anything."

"SHH!!" Harry hissed. "We still need to be quiet and get to Hagrid's."

---

They pulled the cloak off as they reached his door and seconds after they knocked the door was flung open and the three came face to face with a loaded crossbow.

It was taken apart and flung to the side in seconds.

Hagrid blinked at the wolf as he spat out the bolt.

"What the hell was that for?" Harry asked, gesturing to the broken crossbow as they stepped inside.

"Nothin'-nothing'-" Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin'-doesn' matter-Sit down-I'll make tea-" He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.

"Are you okay, Hagrid?" Harry asked. "Did you hear about Hermione?"

"Oh, I heard, all righ'," Hagrid said, a slight break in his voice. He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured them all large mugs of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags) and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock on the door.

Hagrid dropped the fruitcake as Harry, Ron, and Draco exchanged panic-stricken looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated into a corner.

Hagrid checked that they were hidden before flinging his door open once more.

"Good evening Hagrid."

It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man.

The stranger had rumpled gray hair and an anxious expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.

"Minister…" Draco breathed.

"That's Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic." Ron whispered.

Harry elbowed them both hard to shut them up.

Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Fudge.

"Bad business, Hagrid," Fudge said in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."

"I've never," Hagrid looked imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir-"

"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," Dumbledore said frowning at Fudge.

"Look, Albus," Fudge said, uncomfortable. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something-the school governors have been in touch-"

"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," Dumbledore said.

His blue eyes were full of a fire Harry had never seen before.

"Look at it from my point of view," Fudge said, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty-"

"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"

"For a short stretch only," Fudge said, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology-"

"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.

Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door.

Dumbledore answered it.

Harry's audible gasp was drowned out by Fallen's growl, as he stepped from the shadows, and Fang's.

Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile…until he lay eyes on Fallen.

"Fallen," Lucius murmured, walking past the wolf. "Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good…"

"What're you doin' here?" Hagrid said furiously. "Get outta my house!"

"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your-er-d'you call this a house?" Draco growled quietly. "I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here."

"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.

"_Dreadful_ thing, Dumbledore," Malfoy said lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension-you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Three more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an _awful _loss that would be to the school."

"Oh, now see here, Lucius," Fudge said, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended-no, no-last thing we want just now-"

"The appointment-or suspension-of the headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Lucius smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks-"

"**Lucius, you seem to be under the impression that a wizard of any power level could walk up and stop the attacks."** Fallen sneered.

"That remains to be seen," Lucius stated, avoiding the wolf's eyes as he sneered around the hut. "But as all twelve of us have voted-"

Hagrid leapt to his feet, his shaggy black head grazing the ceiling.

"An' how many did yeh have ter threaten an' blackmail before they agree, Malfoy, eh?" he roared.

"Dear, dear, you know that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," Lucius sneered. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."

"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" Hagrid yelled, making Fang cower and whimper in his basket. Fallen stepped forward and Hagrid nearly tripped over him. "Take him away, an' the muggle-borns won' stand a chance! There'll be killin' next!"

"**Hagrid! Shut up."** Fallen sneered, eyeing Lucius' behavior.

"If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside-"

"But-"

"_No!_"

Dumbledore hadn't taken his eyes off of Lucius Malfoy's.

"However," Dumbledore said, speaking quietly. "you will find that I will _truly_ have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

For a second, Draco could have made eye contact, had the cloak not prevented it.

"**I'm sure…."** Fallen sneered, eyeing the Headmaster as he and Lucius left the hut.

'_**I'll tell them, Hagrid. Go before Fudge gets suspicious.'**_

Hagrid nodded to Fallen as he walked past Fudge into the night.

After the door closed, Draco threw the cloak off. "What?"

"**If we need to know anything, follow the spiders."** He turned to Fang. **"And we need to bring Fang up with us."**

"We're in trouble." Ron whispered, looking at the door where Fang was scratching. "No Dumbledore. They might as well close the school tonight. There'll be an attack a day with him gone."

Fang howled and Fallen moved to calm him while the three Gryffindors exchanged worried looks.


	15. The Spiders

This Chapter was Revised 9/10/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Fifteen: The Spiders**_

Summer was creeping over the grounds around the castle; sky and lake alike turned periwinkle blue and flowers large as cabbages burst into bloom in the greenhouses. But with no Hagrid visible from the castle windows, striding the grounds with Fang at his heels, the scene didn't look right to Harry as he watched from the window seat in Gryffindor Tower.

People were unable to visit those in the hospital wing.

"We're taking no more chances," people were told now, "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance the attacker might come back to finish these people off…."

It seemed that with Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never before, so that the sun warming the castle walls seemed to stop at the mullioned windows.

There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried and tense, and any laughter that rang through the corridors sounded shrill and unnatural and was quickly stifled.

Draco and Harry looked every where they went for spiders.

They were hampered of course, by the fact that they weren't allowed to wander off on their own but had to move around the castle in a pack with the other Gryffindors.

Most of their fellow students seemed glad that they were being shepherded from class to class by teachers, but Fallen, Harry, Draco, and Ron found it irksome.

One person, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion.

Katelyn was strutting around the school as though she had just been appointed Head Girl.

Harry didn't realize what she was so pleased about until the Potions lesson about two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid had left, when, sitting right behind Katelyn, Harry and Draco heard her gloating to Crabbe and Goyle.

"I always thought Uncle Lucius might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," she said, not troubling to keep her voice down. "I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe, we'll get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won't _want_ the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long, she's only filling in…. It's too bad _some_ people don't see it this way." she sneered the last sentence at Draco.

Draco glanced at her lazily. "Now, now, Katelyn. I never said that. I don't care that that foolish muggle lover is gone." he glanced at Snape through his lashes as the potions professor swept past them. "I'm actually debating whether or not to recommend Professor Snape for the Headmaster's position."

Katelyn shut up when Snape sent his godson a pleased look, knowing that nothing she said was going to sway the professor into siding with her on anything when Draco was on the other side of the discussion.

The bell rang and Snape barked, "Hurry up, I've got to take you all to Herbology,"

---

The Herbology class was subdued; there were now three missing from their number: Justin, Hermione, and Blaise.

Sprout set them all to work pruning the Abyssinian Shrivelfigs.

Harry went to tip an armful of withered stalks onto the compost heap and found himself face-to-face with Ernie Macmillan.

Ernie took a deep breath and said, very formally, "I just want to say, Harry, that I'm sorry I ever suspected you. I know you'd never attack Hermione Granger or Blaise Zabini, and I apologize for all the stuff I said. We're all in the same boat now, and well-"

Draco narrowed his eyes at the two when Ernie held out his hand and Harry stared at it for a moment before shaking it quickly.

Ernie and his friend Hannah came to work at the same Shrivelfig as Harry and Draco.

"That Katelyn Malfoy character," said Ernie, breaking off dead twigs, "she seems very pleased about all this, doesn't she? D'you know, I think she might be Slytherin's heir."

"That's clever of you," Ron muttered, and Draco elbowed him in the side.

"It's not possible. Heirs are always male. Katelyn's female."

Ernie stared at him.

A second later, Harry spotted something.

Several large spiders were scuttling over the ground on the other side of the glass, moving in an unnaturally straight line as though taking the shortest route to a prearranged meeting.

Harry hit Ron, who was closest to him, over the hand with his pruning shears.

"_Ouch!_ What're you-" Ron hissed, Draco looked at Harry oddly.

Harry pointed out the spiders, following their progress with his eyes screwed up against the sun.

"Oh, yeah," Ron muttered.

Draco smirked at his failed attempt at looking pleased. "But we can't follow them right this second, Harry." he stated, nudging the red head to get him to act normal and not like an idiot.

Ernie and Hannah were listening curiously.

Fallen's eyes narrowed as he focused on the spiders. **"They're heading for the forest."**

---

At the end of the lesson, Sprout escorted the class to their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Harry, Ron, and Draco lagged behind the others so they could talk out of earshot.

"We'll have to use your invisibility cloak Harry." Draco murmured quietly.

'_**Take Fang as well. He's getting fidgety up in the Tower, not being able to run except at night, and even then, he's normally with Snape.'**_

"Right," Ron whispered, twirling his wand nervously in his fingers. "And he's used to going into the forest with Hagrid…. Er-aren't there werewolves in the forest?" he added as they took their usual places at the back of Lockhart's classroom.

Draco rolled his eyes heaven ward while Harry said, "There are good things in there, too. The centaurs are all right, and the unicorns…"

Ron had never been into the Forbidden Forest before.

Harry and Draco had entered it only once and Harry had hoped never to do so again. Fallen was as at home in the forest as he was in Malfoy Manor.

---

Lockhart bound into the room and the class stared at him. Every other teacher in the castle looked grim, but Lockhart appeared nothing short of buoyant.

Fallen narrowed his eyes from the shadows.

"Come now," Lockhart cried, beaming around him. "Why all the long faces?"

People swapped exasperated looks, but nobody answered him.

"Don't you people realize," Lockhart said, speaking slowly as if they were all a bit dim, "the danger has passed! The culprit has been taken away-"

"Say who?" Dean asked loudly.

Draco glowered at the professor. "My dear young man, the Minister of Magic wouldn't have taken Hagrid if he hadn't been one hundred percent sure he was guilty." Lockhart stated, as if explaining to someone that one plus one made two.

"Oh, yes he would," Draco drawled, annoyed.

"I flatter myself I know a _touch_ more about Hagrid's arrest than you do, Mr. Malfoy." Lockhart said in a self satisfied tone.

Draco smirked slowly. "I fancy myself a bit more knowledgeable than _you_, Professor. My father was there after all."

Lockhart's eyes widened ever so slightly, as if remembering just _who_ Draco's father was.

Harry glowered at the professor through out the entire lesson.

Lockhart's disgusting cheeriness, his hints that he had always thought Hagrid was no good, his confidence that the whole business was now at an end, irritated Harry so much that he yearned to throw _Gadding with Ghouls_, the largest of Lockhart's collection, right in his face.

Instead, he contented himself with scrawling a note to Ron and Draco:

_Let's do it tonight_.

Draco nodded and Ron looked towards the front, where Hermione usually sat, and nodded stiffly.

---

The Gryffindor common room was always very crowded these days, because from six o'clock onward the Gryffindors had nowhere else to go. They also had plenty to talk about, with the result that the common room often didn't empty until past midnight.

Harry got the Invisibility Cloak out of his trunk right after dinner, and spent the evening sitting on it, waiting for the room to clear.

Fred and George challenged Harry and Ron to a few games of Exploding Snap, and Ginny and Neville sat watching them, very subdued, in Hermione's usual chair.

Harry and Ron kept losing on purpose, trying to finish the games quickly, but even so, it was well after midnight when Fred, George, Ginny, and Neville finally went to bed.

Fallen waited for the sounds of two dormitory doors closing before nodding to Harry that it was safe.

Harry pulled the cloak out and threw it over the three of them.

---

They knew that Snape, or McGonagall, depending on the day, let Fang out of the tower at night to wander the halls, so therefore, they waited until he came and let the boarhound out before sliding out of the tower before the portrait closed.

After that, it was a rather difficult journey through the castle, dodging all the teachers and such before whistling quietly for Fang and Fallen to join them from the shadows at the door.

Fang scratched at the door, wanting out.

When the boys opened it, he shot out.

"'Course," Ron said abruptly as they strode across the black grass, "we might get to the forest and find there's nothing to follow. Those spiders might not've been going there at all. I know it looked like they were moving in that sort of general direction, but…"His voice trailed off hopefully.

Fallen shattered it.

"**I'm a hunter, Weasley. I know where my prey is going."**

Ron groaned quietly.

Harry left the invisibility cloak on a stump by Hagrid's house, as there would be no need for it in the Forest.

Harry and Draco took out their wands and muttered, "_Lumos!_" and a tiny light appeared at the end of them. Not much, but just enough to watch the path for signs of spiders.

"Good thinking," Ron said. "I'd light mine, too, but you know-it'd probably blow something up or something…."

"**Probably or something, Weasley."** Fallen muttered as he walked into the Forest.

---

Draco whistled quietly and the two others made their way over to him and Fang, who hadn't left the blonde's side since they arrived at Hagrid's hut.

Draco pointed out two spiders that were speeding away from his wand light into the shade of the trees.

He looked expectantly at the others.

Harry and Fallen nodded and all eyes fell on Ron.

Ron took a deep breath. "Okay," he sighed as though resigning himself to death, "I'm ready. Let's go."

So, with Fang scampering around them, sniffing tree roots and leaves, they entered the forest.

Fallen's ears and eyes were trained for any signs that someone was coming after them, so it was by the glow of the two wands that they followed the steady trickle of spiders moving along the path.

They walked behind them for about twenty minutes, not speaking, and listening.

Finally, as the trees became thicker than ever, so that the stars overhead were no longer visible and the only light came from the two second years and Fallen's eyes when the light caught them, they saw their spider guides leaving the path.

Harry paused, trying to see where the spiders were going, but everything outside of the two spheres of light were pitch black. He had never been this deep into the forest before. He could vividly remember Hagrid advising he and Draco not to leave the path the year before.

A glance at the other member of that escapade showed that he was remembering the same.

"Hagrid's miles away though, Harry. We don't have any other choice." Draco said.

Harry sighed. "I know, Draco, but still…."

Draco held his eyes. "We can turn back if you'd like. But Hagrid did tell us to follow the spiders, and they've left the path."

"……Alright. Let's go than."

---

For half an hour, they tracked the spiders, robes snagging on low-slung branches and brambles.

After a while, Fallen spoke for the first time since entering the forest. **"The ground is sloping. This is a dangerous place to be. Enemies on any side and higher than you. Be careful boys."**

No sooner had the words left the wolf, Fang let out a great, echoing bark, making both Harry and Ron jump, Draco hid it well, but he was startled as well.

"What?" Ron asked loudly, looking around into the dark, and gripping Harry's elbow very tightly.

"**Hush, something's moving."**

Draco's eyes narrowed as the sound of snapping twigs and branches as it carved a path through the trees. "That's not a predator." he whispered.

Fallen nodded. **"Predators are naturally silent when they hunt. This is something else…something familiar."**

"**It's the-"**

Suddenly to the right, a sudden blaze of light, so bright in the darkness, that the boys needed to close shield their eyes.

"What the hell-"

"**I think it's the-"**

"It's the car, guys." Ron interrupted.

Fallen rolled his eyes at the red head's impatience, and returned to looking around their surroundings.

As Harry and Ron got 'reacquainted' with the car, Draco stood beside Fang, running soothing fingers over the dog.

Fallen suddenly tackled him, knocking him to the ground and onto Fang, who yelped loudly.

"**Harry, Ron, watch out!"**

Harry barely had time to draw his wand at Fallen's shout, before he heard something move behind him.

By the look on Ron's face, it was huge.

Spinning around, Harry came face-to-'face' with a huge spider.

"Fuck." he muttered, backing away and into Ron, who toppled to the ground and scrambled to get away from the second spider that was behind him.

Fallen didn't last long against the three giant spiders, while protecting Draco, he killed one, and mortally wounded a second, but the third threw him into a tree, where he shook off the shock, but was apprehended in that moment.

Two other spiders came from the trees and Draco drew his wand, spinning it idly as he watched warily.

Harry and Ron were caught quickly, and Draco let his rage take over, much like he had at the Quidditch match.

Again, his magic rose in a sea of red, and the spiders seemed to be _eaten_ alive by it.

Quickly however, he began to weaken as his resolve faded, and he dropped into darkness beside the boarhound who had whined, but not moved from behind the blond.

"Draco!"

Fallen's eyes flashed black and the wind rose around the fallen body of his chosen.

"**You will not touch him and live."** he snarled, sharpening the high speed winds to points.

Quickly, he was wasted of magic, his body not yet healed from the damage his encounter with the tree had done to him.

Draco and Fang were quickly picked up and they were taken deeper into the woods.

---

They'd never find out how long they were held; Harry was glaring balefully at the spider that held his unconscious friend.

The spiders dropped them and Harry hurried to Draco's side, pulling his head onto his lap and running his fingers through his hair and over his body, searching for any injuries.

Fallen staggered to his feet and moved to stand before them, staring at the domed web at the center of the clearing.

Ron clung to Harry's shoulder, as he listened to the spiders clicking.

"Aragog!" one called. "Aragog!"

From the middle of the misty, domed wed, a spider the size of a small elephant emerged incredibly slowly.

There was gray in the black of his body and legs, and each of the eyes on his ugly, pincered head was milky white.

The spider was blind.

"What is it?" he asked, clicking his pincers rapidly in annoyance.

"Men," the spider who had caught Harry clicked.

"Is it Hagrid?" asked Aragog, moving closer, his eight milky eyes wandered vaguely.

"Strangers," clicked the spider that had brought Ron.

"Kill them, I was sleeping…."

"**They are friends of Hagrid, Spider. And to kill them would be a violation of all law, creature and otherwise."** Fallen sneered at the spider.

The spider seemed to pause. "You are a guardian…."

"**I am."** "Are you a general or a royal?"

"**I am a general. The royal is at the school. The other is dead."**

"……"

"**What do you know of the Chamber's monster, Spider?"**

Aragog paused for a moment. "I can not say. We do not speak of it. We do not name it. I have never even told Hagrid the name of that dread creature, though he asked me many times."

Harry swallowed heavily.

"**You have given me more information by not saying it. We will leave."**

"Leave? I think not…." Fallen tensed. "Law protects them, General, however, it does not protect you. And I cannot deny my children fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good bye General."

Fallen growled and spread his front paws, lowering his head between them, growling. **"Come for me then."**

The spiders surged forward.

"**Go!"**

Ron made a chocking noise as Fallen was nearly buried beneath almost a hundred spiders. "Fallen!" Harry yelled.

A pained, but vicious howl broke through the air and Draco's eyes snapped open.

An unfamiliar voice cut off the wolf's name.

A guardian's voice.

"**By order of the King of the Guardians, you are hereby ordered to let General Fallen free of all Harm. Surrender, or you will die."**

Harry wrapped his arm around Draco, and pulled him to his feet, wrapping Draco's arm around his shoulder to keep him standing.

Aragog hesitated slightly and the shadows lengthened violently curling around the nearest spider and pulling it backwards into the darkness where it was killed, it's horrified screeches echoing.

"Leave them! Leave them!" Aragog screeched.

The spiders scrambled away from the wolf, which had a large gash along his muzzle, spilling blood into his bared fangs.

Thirty dead spiders littered the ground in a circle, despite his injuries, he had obviously not gone down without a fight.

Seconds later, Arthur's car thundered down the slope, headlights glaring.

The car screeched to a halt in front of Harry, Ron, and Draco, and the doors flew open.

"Fang, Fallen!" Harry called. "Let's go!"

Fang bound into the back of the car and Ron got into the driver's seat.

Harry helped Draco into the passenger's seat and walked back, snarling viciously at Aragog.

"That was completely uncalled for, Aragog. Hagrid would not be please nor happy with you right now. It's only for him, that we've let you live, I'm sure." he turned to Fallen.

"You need help, Fallen?"

Fallen looked up at the boy who seemed to be growing up far too quickly for his tastes, something that he and the others had attempted to avoid at almost all costs.

"**No, Harry. Let's go."**

He sent one last look around the shadows of the clearing as he followed the black haired Gryffindor to the car.

Nothing.

_Where are you…my old friend?_

---

Soon, the group was headed back up into the castle.

Draco staggered, but was able to stand on his own until they reached their common room.

There, they collapsed onto the couches and Fallen allowed Fang to lay quivering beside him.

"What was the point of that?" Ron finally asked angrily.

"**I've found the proof I need. The snake we've been looking for is a Basilisk."**

Ron glared at Fallen. "You dragged us down there to prove a _snake_ is the cause of all this?!"

Draco glared at him. "Ronald Weasley, shut up and listen. Fallen and Yoko have been putting this together for the entire year. Although they tried to hide it, I've seen them talking to Severus about it. The only reason we can't hear this voice that Harry has, is because it's a snake. Fallen, Yoko, and Sev have been putting the clues together and come up with this. Don't screw around with him now."

Fallen looked up. **"The only thing we don't know, is where the Chamber of Secrets is. We have rumors and such, but no facts that tell us where the Chamber is for **_**sure**_**, which is what we need if we're ever going to stop this. Preferably for good, Weasley."** Fallen stated, sliding into his old iciness.

Draco and Harry looked at him sadly.

Yoko still hadn't woken yet and Arcana had yet to come through with his promise to bring Tarana back.

He was without help now, and without those he loved.

And it was costing him what little kindness he had gained since he had met Tarana, Harry, and Hagrid in Diagon Alley last year.

Tom Riddle and his basilisk were ruining the lives of those Harry found most important.

And he'd pay.

Rather swiftly, he found his thoughts drifting elsewhere and he sat up straight.

"Shit!"

Ron, who had been drifting off, sat up straight with a yelp. "What?!"

Harry looked directly into the dwindling flames. "Blaise said that the girl died in a bathroom. The girl from fifty years ago. What if she never left. What if she's haunting the bathroom right now?"

Draco's eyes widened.

Ron gapped. "You don't think-not Moaning Myrtle!"

------------------------

Miles away, a silent shadow passed through the boundary of England and into Scotland.


	16. Into the Chamber

This Chapter was Revised 9/11/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Sixteen: Into the Chamber**_

"All those times we were in that bathroom, and she was just three toilets away," said Ron bitterly at breakfast the next day. "and we could've asked her, and now…"

It had been hard enough trying to look for spiders, escaping their teachers long enough to sneak into a girls' bathroom, the girls' bathroom, moreover, right next to the scene of the first attack, was definitely going to be impossible.

However, something happened in their first lesson, Transfiguration, that drove the Chamber out of the students' minds for the first time in months.

Ten minutes into the class, McGonagall told them that their exams would start on the first of June, one week from today.

"_Exams?_" Seamus howled. "We're still getting _exams_?!"

Behind the class, there was a bang, as Neville's wand slipped and vanished one of the legs on his desk.

Draco glanced at him through narrowed eyes.

Neville had been jumpier than normal for months. _What is wrong with him? He refuses to even _look_ at us since Blaise and Hermione were attacked._

McGonagall drew his attention back to the front of the classroom as she restored it with a wave of her own wand, and turned, frowning, to Seamus.

"The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your education," she said sternly. "The exams will therefore take place as usual, and I trust you are all studying hard."

As the mutinous muttering grew, McGonagall scowled. "Professor Dumbledore's instructions were to keep the school running as normally as possible," she said. "And that, I hardly need to point out, means finding out how much you have learned this year."

Harry looked down at the pair of white rabbits he was supposed to be turning into slippers.

What had he learned so far this year?

He couldn't seem to think of anything that would be useful in an exam.

Draco rolled his eyes and leaned back comfortably in his chair.

Ron, however, looked like he'd just been told to go live in the Forbidden Forest.

As they left the room, Ron revealed his insecurity. "Can you imagine me taking exams with this?" he asked them, holding up his wand, which had just started whistling loudly.

---

Four days before their first exam, Draco walked in to find Neville rocking on Blaise's bed, crying.

Closing his eyes, he walked towards the black haired Gryffindor. "Nev?" he asked quietly.

Neville's head shot up, his expression one of a fear, and he scrambled off the bed, stuttering. "I-I was j-just sitting, I swear. I didn't mean anything by it." he refused to look the blond in the eye.

Draco sat slowly. "Neville, sit down. I just want to talk with you. I won't tell anyone that you were worried over Blaise if you don't want me to, I promise."

Slowly, Neville relaxed.

"You care for him don't you." Draco said quietly after a few minutes. "Moreso than you do about the rest of us."

Neville blushed faintly, looking anywhere but Draco. "I-I don't want to talk about it." he whispered.

Draco chuckled. "Alright."

"You, Harry, and Ron are getting into trouble again aren't you." Neville whispered.

Draco tilted his head slightly. "We've been doing something, that's for sure. But so far nothing that would get us into that much trouble."

Neville snorted. "In other words, you'll get detention for a month or three, but otherwise okay."

Draco grinned. "Sounds about right, yeah."

Neville took a deep breath. "I-Draco, I think something's wrong with me." he said quietly.

Draco leaned back on his forearms. "What makes you say that?"

"I keep blacking out. There are parts of my memory that just-just don't _feel_ right. Like they're there but they shouldn't be."

Draco frowned. "You mean like they were place there?"

Neville nodded.

Draco sighed. "I can't say I'm surprised. Fallen can't get into your mind, he says it's like there's a snake there, keeping him out, keeping him from finding your false memories, most likely."

Neville shuddered. "But what does it mean?"

Draco shrugged. "I have no idea…. Is this why you've been avoiding Harry, Ron, and I? Because of the false memories?" he asked.

Neville shivered. "No," he whispered. "It's the feelings that come when I see you guys."

Draco narrowed his eyes suspiciously on the other boy's back. "What feelings?"

"Loathing. Hatred. Guilt. Pain."

"**All signs of Forced Possession."**

Fallen's voice made Neville jump to his feet and Draco to let out a hiss of surprise.

"What the hell was that for?!" the blond asked viciously.

Fallen just stared at him coolly.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"I-I'm gonna go." Neville stuttered, almost running from the room.

Draco frowned after him.

Fallen's eyes flashed suspiciously.

---

The next day, McGonagall made another announcement at breakfast.

"I have good news," she said, and the Great Hall, instead of falling silent, erupted.

"Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yelled joyfully. ("Not if I know my father.")

"You've caught the Heir of Slytherin!" squealed a girl at the Ravenclaw table.

'**Jeez, you'd think these kids would grow a brain. There would be **_**partying**_** if they caught the Heir of Slytherin.'** Matt muttered coldly.

Fallen ignored him.

"Quidditch matches are back on!" Wood roared.

'**Oh dear. That kid…he's never going to get laid if he's spouting **_**that**_** off in a crisis. **_**'O dear, O dear, my leg's fell off.'**_**He'd say that it's a pity you can't play Quidditch sooner than help stem the blood flow.'**

'_**You certainly do have a **_**bloody**_** imagination, don't you, Matt.'**_ Fallen murmured.

When the noise had subsided, McGonagall said, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."

There was an explosion of cheering.

Draco wasn't at all surprised when Katelyn didn't participate.

Ron, however, nearly blew out the blonde's ear drum with his cheer.

"It won't matter that we never asked Myrtle, then!" he whispered, once he'd calmed down. "Hermione'll probably have all the answers when they wake her up! Mind you, she'll go crazy when she finds out we've got exams in three days' time. She hasn't studied."

"And neither have you, Weasley." Draco drawled to him.

The conversation was cut short when Ginny came over and sat down next to Ron. She looked tense and nervous.

The three were more than aware that she was becoming more and more aware of what the diary was probably doing to her, and were worried about the state of her mental health, as well as the control that could be gained or lost by Riddle's diary.

As she could open her mouth to speak, Percy came over, and she was out the door like the hounds of Hell were after her.

---

The boys knew the whole mystery might be solved tomorrow night without their help, but they weren't going to pass up a chance to speak to Myrtle if it turned up-and to their delight it did, midmorning, when they were being led to History of Magic by Lockhart.

Lockhart, who had so often assured them that all danger had passed, only to be proved wrong right away, was now whole heartedly convinced that it was hardly worth the trouble to see them safely down the corridors.

His hair wasn't as sleek as usual; it seemed he had been up most of the night, patrolling the fourth floor.

"Mark my words," he said, ushering them around a corner. "The first words out of those poor Petrified people's mouths will be _'It was Hagrid.'_ Frankly, I'm astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures are necessary."

"I agree, sir," Harry said, making Ron drop his books in surprise and Draco to stare incredulously.

"Thank you, Harry," Lockhart said graciously while they waited for a long line of Hufflepuffs to pass. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to do, without walking students to classes and standing guard all night…."

For once, Ron caught on quicker than Draco did. "That's right," he said. "Why don't you leave us here, sir, we've only got one more corridor to go-"

"You know, Weasley, I think I will," Lockhart said. "I really should go and prepare my next class-" And he hurried off.

Draco stared after him. "He…is a complete idiot."

"Prepare his next class," Ron sneered. "Gone to curl his hair, more like."

---

The three let the rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of them, then darted down a side passage and hurried off toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

But just as Ron was congratulating Harry on his brilliant idea-

"Boys! What are you doing?"

It was McGonagall, and her mouth was in the thinnest of thin lines.

"We were going to see Hermione and Blaise." Draco lied smoothly. "We haven't seen them for ages, Professor, and we thought we'd sneak into the hospital wing, you know, and tell her the Mandrakes are nearly ready and not to worry."

Harry and Ron watched their Head of House for a moment.

At first it seemed as if she was going to explode, however, when she spoke, it was in a strangely croaky voice.

"Of course," she said, and Draco cheered inwardly at his acting when he saw a tear glistening in her beady eye. "Of course, I realize this has all been hardest on the friends of those who have been…I quite understand. Yes, boys, of course you may visit your friends. I will inform Professor Binns where you've gone. Tell Madam Pomfrey I have given my permission."

Harry and Ron followed dumbly as they walked away from her. As they turned the corner, they all heard McGonagall blow her nose.

"That was bloody brilliant, Draco!" Ron hissed happily.

"However, now we've got no choice but to go and see Pomfrey and tell her McGonagall's given her permission."

Pomfrey let them in, but reluctantly. "There's no _point_ talking to a petrified person," she said, and they had to admit that she had a point.

Draco and Harry sat in the chairs beside Blaise's bed and Ron by Hermione's.

Harry ran his fingers down his petrified friend's fingers, frowning at the clenched hand. "Hey guys. Look at this."

Ron and Draco leaned forward and noticed the same thing Harry had.

Blaise held a piece of paper scrunched inside his closed fist.

Draco glanced up. "Pomfrey's busy. Try and get it out." Ron moved to block Harry from view, and Harry went to work on the paper in his friend's hand.

It wasn't easy.

Blaise was determined to keep hold of the paper, even in his petrified state. After several tense minutes, it was free.

Harry slid the paper into his pocket and they sat for a few more minutes, keeping their excitement carefully hidden as they talked to their petrified friends until Pomfrey kicked them out, as they knew she would.

Fallen trotted along behind them as they moved swiftly towards Snape's potion's lab.

At the moment, it would be empty, as he had a class to teach, and they'd be able to read it alone, or so Ron thought.

However, Draco and Harry both agreed to wait for Snape, as he could probably help in some way.

The wolf snorted derisively when a particular thought crossed Ron's mind.

_The greasy git isn't so bad in private. He kind of grows on you._

---

They waited for an hour and half, before the school broke for lunch and as Draco predicted, twenty minutes later, Snape was in the potion's lab muttering about brandy.

The blond raised a brow. "Bit early for that isn't it, Sev?"

Snape rolled his eyes. "I'd like to see you try and teach this children and not want a glass by noon." he stated as he moved to the door that led to his private chamber.

He came back to the door way and beckoned them in.

They followed.

Fallen lay on the rug by the fire, watching it dance as he listened.

"We found this earlier." Harry said, holding up the paper. "We figured you might be able to help us tie up the lose ends when we're through reading it."

Snape raised a brow. "You haven't read it yet?"

Draco shook his head. "No."

"But we're pretty sure what it's going to be about." Ron added.

Snape leaned against his desk and gestured to the brunette to read the paper aloud.

Harry nodded and opened the crumpled paper.

"_Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it._"

He looked up.

Snape nodded slowly, sipping the brandy in his hand. "So you two were right, Fallen."

Ron crossed his arms. "Yeah, most of the clues add up. The Spiders and the dead roosters Hagrid keeps finding. Even the fact that Harry is the only one who can hear it. But why aren't any of these people dead if this thing kills with its eyes?"

The four were silent for a moment.

Draco blinked. "Because no one's looked it in the eye." he stated, standing and beginning to pace. "If we think about the victims and their surroundings, we can tell how they saw the basilisk. For example, Creevey: he saw it through his camera, and the Basilisk burned through the film, remember."

Harry nodded. "With Justin and Nick, Justin must have seen it through Nearly Headless Nick. Nick got the full blast of it, but he's already dead and can't do so again."

Ron's jaw dropped. "Hermione, Clearwater, and Blaise were all found with that mirror. I bet they were looking around the corner with it."

Snape's lip quirked.

They had definitely thought this through. "And Mrs. Norris? I doubt she was walking around with a mirror or a camera."

"**The water."** Fallen said, speaking for the first time. **"The flood from Myrtle's bathroom must have thrown Mrs. Norris the snake's reflection. But that still doesn't explain two things. Where the Chamber is, and how this thing's been getting around."**

Harry smirked at him. "Hermione beat you to your second question. At the bottom of the page she wrote one word. Pipes."

Draco's mouth dropped open. "And I've just figured out your first. If the Basilisk is using the plumbing and fifty years ago, Myrtle was killed in her bathroom. What if the entrance is in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom?"

Snape tilted his head. "We've searched the school before. How could we miss that?"

Harry leaned his head back. "The Chamber is only meant to be found by the Heir of Slytherin. And the Heir of Slytherin is supposed to be able to control snakes. He's got to be a parselmouth as well. That would mean that anyone looking for it would have to be able to speak Parseltongue to get to the Chamber. And since Riddle and I are the two most recent ones, we'd be the only ones able to find it."

Draco smirked at him. "You've got one hell of a life, don't you."

Harry glared at him.

"So, what are we going to do, Professor?" Ron asked, looking at the potion's master.

Snape opened his mouth to respond, but closed it when McGonagall's magically magnified voice echoed through the school.

"_All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."_

The three students looked at Snape. "What are we going to do?"

"You stay here. I'll be back soon. Depending on the information, I shall let you know what is going on."

Putting his glass on the desk, he swept from the room.

Draco dragged himself from the chair and downed what remained of the brandy. "Something's wrong." he whispered. "Something's not right, I can feel it."

Harry stood and wrapped his arms around his friend in a hug.

Ron lay his head back against his chair, his eyes closed.

---

The three remained that way until Snape returned deathly pale.

"Sev?" Draco asked, picking up the empty glass as the potions master dropped ungracefully into an armchair by the fire. He handed the glass back, now half full and knelt beside his godfather. "Sev, what happened?"

"'_Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'_ Mr. Weasley. Your sister has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets." he murmured, before turning to the three students, ignoring Ron's pale features "I severely hope you are right about the Chamber being in Myrtle's bathroom, as we need to move quickly. McGonagall sent Lockhart to take care of things, and we all know that he won't get it done. Not on his own."

"He'd probably run," Draco stated. "I doubt that the shit he put in his books is even remotely true."

Ron stood quickly. "Let's go than."

Harry stood quickly and grabbed Ron's arm. "Hold on, Ron."

Snape placed the glass of brandy down and stood. "Let's go. We have an appointment with the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." he murmured darkly as he swept past the Gryffindors.

Fallen stood and followed them all out.

---

Snape rapped sharply on Lockhart's office door.

The door opened the tiniest crack and they saw one of Lockhart's eyes peering through it.

"Oh-Severus-Mr. Weasley-Mr. Potter-Mr. Malfoy-" he said, opening the door a bit wider. "I'm rather busy at the moment-if you would be quick-"

"These boys say they have information that they believe will help you, Lockhart." Snape murmured, throwing the door open and pushing Lockhart to the ground in the process. "So I thought I'd drop them off." he sneered at the office.

It had nearly been stripped bare.

Two large trunks stood open on the floor. Robes, jade-green, lilac, midnight-blue, had been hastily folded into one of them; books were jumbled untidily into the other. The photographs that had covered the walls were now crammed into boxes on the desk.

"Going somewhere, Professor?" Draco purred, flicking his wrist deliberately so that his wand fell into his palm.

"Er, well, yes," Lockhart murmured, crawling away from the Slytherin-bred Gryffindor. "You see-urgent call-unavoidable-got to go-"

Ron drew his wand and glared at the quivering mass. "What about my sister?" Ron asked jerkily.

Lockhart laughed nervously. "Well, as to that-most unfortunate-"

"You're running away." Harry drawled, completing the half circle that hemmed Lockhart in and kept him from the door. Only he and Snape had yet to draw their wands. "After all that stuff you did in your books-"

Lockhart swallowed. "Books can be misleading," he whimpered delicately.

"You wrote them." Snape sneered at the quivering DADA teacher. "Are you admitting that you stole credit for what other witches and wizards have done?"

Lockhart shivered at the cold tone. "It's not nearly as simple as the. There was work involved. I had to track these people down. Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. Then I had to put a Memory Charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's my Memory Charms. No, it's been a lot of work, Severus. It's not all book signings and publicity photos, you know. You want fame, you have to be prepared for a long hard slog."

Draco grinned wickedly. "While we're on the topic of things we pride ourselves on, you want to hear mine? I pride myself on being the most knowledgeable twelve year old on the planet, in the Dark Arts. Wanna see?" he raised his wand.

"Draco." Snape said sharply. "Don't give the man a heart attack just yet. I believe I have a use for him…. First things first, however, _accio wand_." He pointed his now drawn wand at Lockhart and caught the wand that came to him. He smirked at the wizard beneath him as he delicately threw it out the nearby window. "On your feet Lockhart. We're taking a trip to the Chamber of Secrets before you leave."

---

Harry, Ron, and Draco led Snape and Lockhart towards Myrtle's bathroom, and opened the door. The three let the two professors enter first, and they were all pleased to see that Lockhart was shaking.

Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end toilet.

"Oh, it's you," she said when she saw Draco. "What do you want this time?"

Draco inclined his head politely to her. "We actually wanted to know how it was you died."

Myrtle's whole countenance changed at once.

She looked as though she had never been asked such a flattering question.

"Ooooh, it was dreadful," she said with relish. "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so wall. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a _boy_ speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then-" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "I _died_."

"How?" Draco asked, tilting his head in mock curiosity.

"No idea," Myrtle said in hushed tones. "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away…." She looked dreamily at Draco. "And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses."

"Myrtle," Draco said gently, drawing her back from her malicious thoughts. "Where exactly did you see the eyes?" he asked.

"Somewhere there," Myrtle said, pointing vaguely toward the sink in front of her toilet.

Harry and Ron hurried over to it.

Lockhart and Snape stood by the wall, while Draco watched them.

It looked like an ordinary sink.

The two examined every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes below.

And then Harry saw it: Scratched on the side of one of the copper taps, was a tiny snake.

Myrtle, who had been floating just above Draco's head, said, "That tap's never worked,"

"Mr. Potter." Harry nodded distractedly to his potion's professor, staring hard at the snake, seeing it move in his mind's eye.

"_Open up."_ he hissed.

At once, the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. The next second, the sink began to move; the sink, in fact, sank right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man or six to slide into.

"Shall we?" Draco asked brightly as he stepped up beside his friends.

Snape glanced at the trio and repressed a smile. _Only these three could get so much pleasure out of breaking the rules…. Well, in this age anyway._

Fallen stood silent in the shadows.

'**Wow…three twelve year olds, just found the illusive Chamber of Secrets. Brilliant.'** Matt beamed.

Fallen sneered at the animal.

"**Lockhart can go first."** he stated coldly.

Draco and Harry both glanced worriedly at the wolf.

Snape seemed far too eager to push the Defense teacher down the huge pipe.

Snape and Draco curled their lips when both Ron and Harry just slid down the pipe. Shaking their heads, they took off the expensive robes and placed them over another sink before following.

Harry pulled Draco to his feet once the two finally hit the ground.

Snape muttered a cleaning charm under his breath.

Lockhart shivered a few feet away, covered in slime and white as a ghost.

"We must be miles under the school," Harry said, his voice echoing in the black tunnel. "Under the lake, probably," Ron answered, looking around at the barely discernable dark, slimy walls.

All five of them turned to stare into the darkness ahead.

Harry, Draco, and Snape cast _lumos_ and they spotted Fallen a few meters ahead of them, watching. **"Are you all ready to move on now?"** he asked. When they all nodded, he turned and began to walk. **"If anything moves, close your eyes immediately. I'd hate to deal with the messy details when I bring up your dead body."**

---

Fallen led them for almost twenty minutes before they found anything.

"Something's up there." Ron murmured.

Harry and Draco nodded.

Fallen raised his head and tested the stale air. **"It's just the skin."** he announced.

Behind them, Lockhart's knees gave way beside Ron.

"Get up," the red head sneered, pointing his wand at Lockhart.

Lockhart got to his feet-then dived at Ron, knocking him to the ground.

Snape's Stunning Spell missed him by inches.

And Lockhart got to his feet, Ron's wand in his hand.

He raised it and pointed it at Ron.

"**NO!"** Fallen yelled, but it was too late.

Lockhart cast the Memory Charm, which caused the wand to explode with such a force that the ceiling began to collapse.

Snape yanked Ron back by his collar as a large piece of the ceiling fell.

Wind pulled Draco and Harry to Fallen's side, and when the dust settled,

Lockhart, Snape, and Ron were on the opposite side of an unmovable wall of broken rock.

"Everyone alright!" Draco called. "We're fine, Draco. Go get Weasley. The ceiling is too unstable to just blast through the rock, we'll need to do this delicately. Hopefully we'll have something by the time you head back." Snape called over, his voice muffled.

Draco nodded to the other two and they began to walk.

"And be careful!" came Ron's muffled shout.

---

For the next fifteen minutes, Harry, Draco, and Fallen walked until they came upon a solid wall on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.

Draco gestured his boyfriend forward and Harry approached, his throat suddenly very dry.

There was no need to pretend there snakes were real; their eyes looked strangely alive.

"_Open."_ he hissed.

At once, the serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Harry, shaking from head to foot, led Draco and Fallen inside.

------------------

Miles above them, in the Headmaster's office, blue eyes flashed.


	17. Tom Riddle and the Shadow

This Chapter was Revised 9/11/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Seventeen: Tom Riddle and the Shadow**_

The chamber the three were standing in was long and dimly lit.

Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support the ceiling lost in the darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.

Heart beating quickly, Harry drew his wand and began to walk through the serpentine columns.

Every careful footstep the two boys took echoed loudly off the shadowy walls.

Fallen kept his ears and eyes alert, listening for any sign of Dark, Arcana, Riddle, or the basilisk.

With a gesture, Harry told Draco and Fallen to hang back and waited for the two to slip into the shadows cast by the columns, looking up at the statue that stood almost as tall as the Chamber itself.

It's face was ancient and monkeyish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous gray feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor.

And between the feet, facedown, lay a small, black robed figure with flaming red hair.

"Ginny." Harry muttered, sticking his wand into his pocket as he dropped to his knees beside her. "Please don't be dead, please don't be dead. Ron'll kill us _both _if you die." he rambled under his breath, as he gently shook the girl.

"She won't wake," a soft voice whispered.

Harry twitched and turned his head sharply, his hand closing on his wand.

A tall, black haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar.

Behind him, he could see two pairs of eyes glowing in the shadows.

He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Harry were looking at him through a misted window. But still, with Blaise's detailed description there was no mistaking him.

"Tom Riddle." he sneered.

Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off of Harry's face.

Harry closed off all emotions and thoughts as he looked into the face of a sixteen year old Voldemort.

"What d'you mean, she won't wake?" Harry asked, continuing the game that Blaise had begun when he started writing in the book. "She's not…dead is she?"

"She's still alive," Riddle said. "But only just."

Harry stared at him. "You're not a ghost." he stated.

Riddle shook his head.

"A memory," Riddle agreed quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."

He pointed towards the floor near the statue's giant toes.

"Salazar Slytherin." Draco filled in, watching from the shadows.

He watched as Harry looked at the diary, and Riddle pulled a wand, most likely Ginny's from his pocket and began twirling it.

Seeing Harry glance covertly at it, Draco and Fallen watched as Harry practiced his acting skills.

"You've got to help me, Tom," Harry said, raising Ginny's head slightly. "We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk…I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment…. Please, help me-"

Riddle didn't move.

'**Harry'd make a fine damsel, don't you think, Fallen?'**

'_**Shut up, Matt, and keep an ear/eye out for that damn snake.'**_ Fallen snarled.

"Listen," Harry said urgently, putting a bit more force into the words. "We've got to go! If the basilisk comes-"

"It won't come until it is called," Riddle said calmly.

Harry tilted his head, looking at Riddle, as if seeing him with the wand for the first time. "What d'you mean?" he asked. "Look, give me Ginny's wand. We need to get out-"

Riddle smiled broadly. "She won't be needing it." he whispered.

Harry stared at him in silent horror. "What d'you mean, she won't be-"

"I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter," Riddle said, cutting him off. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."

"Look," Harry snapped. "We can talk later. We're in the _Chamber of Secrets_."

"We're going to talk now." Riddle said, still smiling as he pocketed Ginny's wand.

Harry hid a flicker of unease as the shadows moved behind the memory of Tom Riddle.

"How did Ginny get like this?" he asked slowly, wanting Riddle to keep talking so he could find a way to take on Riddle, the basilisk, Dark, and possibly Arcana, all at once.

"Well, that's an interesting question," Riddle said pleasantly, most likely oblivious to Harry's intentions. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, replaying Fallen and Yoko's explanation in his head as he glanced around the chamber, trying to find out where the basilisk was.

"The diary," Riddle said. "_My_ diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes-how her brothers _tease_ her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how"-Riddle's eyes glinted-"how she didn't think famous, good, great, _broken_ Harry Potter would _ever_ like her…."

All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left Harry's face.

He didn't flinch as Dark and Arcana prowled from the shadows to circle him. His eyes remained fixed on Harry, an almost hungry look to them.

Harry seriously hoped that the sixteen year old memory wasn't going to want to screw him.

"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven year old girl," he went on. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply _loved_ me. _No one's ever understood me like you, Tom_…. _I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in_…. _It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket_…."

Riddle laughed, a high, cold laugh that Harry had heard numerous times in his dreams the year before.

It helped hammer the truth home that Tom Riddle was Voldemort.

"If I say it myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted…. I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of _my_ secrets, to start pouring a little of _my_ soul back into _her_…."

Harry stared at Riddle with a mask of fear and uncertainty, betraying none of the anger that rolled beneath the surface at the way Riddle talked of his friend like she way nothing more than a toy.

A tool he used to get what he wanted.

"What d'you mean?" Harry asked, pushing his voice to quiver in 'fear' and hoped Riddle didn't realize the true reason it shook.

"Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter?" Riddle asked softly. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and smeared threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four mudbloods, the blood traitor, and the Squib's cat."

"No," Harry whispered, forcing his anger back at Blaise and Hermione being called such things for the moment.

"Yes," Riddle said. "Of course, she didn't _know_ what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries…far more interesting, they became…. _Dear Tom,_" he recited, watching Harry's impassive face. "_I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and I don't know how they got there. Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front. Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself. I think he suspects me…. There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad…. I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!_"

Harry's fists were clenched, his nails digging deep into his palms.

"It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop trusting her diary," Riddle said. "But she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. Of course, it could have been that Longbottom saw her sic the basilisk on one of the Mudbloods. But still…that's where _you_ came in, Harry. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could have picked it up, it was _you_, the very person I was most anxious to meet…."

"Harry?"

"Not yet, Draco. Not yet."

"And why did you want to meet me?" Harry asked.

"Well, you see, Ginny told me all about you, Harry." Riddle said. "Your whole _fantastic_ history." His eyes roved over the lightning scar on Harry's forehead, and the expression grew hungrier. "I knew I must find out more abut you, talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust-"

"Hagrid's my friend, Riddle." Harry sneered. "And you framed him, didn't you-" he cut himself off before he gave away the whole game.

Riddle laughed his high laugh again.

"It was my word against' Hagrid's, Harry. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On the one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but so _brave_, school prefect, model student…on the other hand, big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls…but I admit, even _I_ was surprised at how well the plan worked. I thought _someone_ must realize that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken _me_ five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance…as though Hagrid had the brains or the power! Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed…. Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did…."

Harry snorted. "I bet Dumbledore saw right through you." he muttered dismissively.

Riddle frowned. "Well he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled." he muttered. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school. But I wasn't going to waste those long years I'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen year old self in it's pages, so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."

Harry watched him for a moment. "You, Riddle, are a deranged, muggle killing psychopath." he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Riddle gritted his teeth. "You don't get it. Killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore. For many months now, my new target has been-_you_."

Harry stared at him for another moment. "Psychopath." he repeated.

Riddle hissed, ignoring him. "Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to me, not you. She saw you with the diary, you see, and panicked. What if you found out how to work it, and I repeated all her secrets to you? What if, even worse, I told you who'd been strangling roosters? So the stupid little bitch waited until your dormitory was deserted and stole it back. But I knew what I must do. It was clear to me that you were on the trail of Slytherin's heir. From everything Ginny had told me about you, I knew you would go to any lengths to solve the mystery-particularly if one of your best friends was attacked. And Ginny had told me the whole school was buzzing because you could speak Parseltongue…. So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried and became _very_ boring. But there isn't much life in her…. She put too much into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave it's pages at last…. I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Harry Potter."

Harry smirked slowly. "I have some news to give you first, Riddle."

Riddle raised a brow. "Oh?"

"Yes. You see, I already know that the two animals at your feet are Dark and Arcana. I also already know that you also go by the name of Lord Voldemort. Everything you've told me. I already knew. And now, I know where the basilisk is."

Riddle's eyes almost glowed with hatred. "How?"

Harry grinned cheekily as Draco and Fallen both glided from the shadows. "Because. I'm observant like that. Also, because Fallen and Yoko both already knew the diary was in the school. You and I? We've never spoken. I never saw the memory of you catching Hagrid, Riddle. We've been playing with you, much like you've been toying with Ginny." Harry tilted his head.

"The basilisk, the Serpent of Slytherin, is in the mouth of Salazar Slytherin himself." he murmured, smirking at the enraged look on Riddle's face.

"Rumor has it that you believe yourself to be the Greatest Sorcerer in the World, Riddle." Draco drawled. "And I'm sorry to burst your bubble but there are many sorcerer's better than you. One, no matter how manipulative, will always be, Albus Dumbledore."

Harry's emerald eyes blazed as he stared coldly at Arcana. "The second, was Tarana."

With a vicious hiss, Riddle called on the basilisk. "No matter! Tarana is dead and Dumbledore has been driven from the school by the mere memory of me."

Fallen tensed, lowering himself to be ready to spring at the snake, and Draco flicked his wrist, wand sliding into his hand as the mouth of Salazar Slytherin's statue opened, and the Basilisk slid from it to the ground.

"_Kill them."_ Riddle hissed to the serpent. Fallen growled low in his throat and the basilisk hesitated minutely. _"I said kill them._"

The basilisk slithered towards the three and Fallen blurred.

The battle that followed was unable to be followed with human eyes.

Fallen's speed was unmatched even in the Guardian's world.

The basilisk's screams of pain mingled with Fallen's howls and snarls. However, while Fallen was busy, Draco and Harry took on Riddle, who didn't seem to care that his basilisk was busy.

He had turned his attention to the two guardians that still circled him. Drawing Ginny's wand, Riddle began.

"_Altus Poena_."

Draco gritted his teeth as pain racked his body.

The sister Pain Curse was nothing to what the Crutiatus Curse felt like.

His mother had cast them both enough times for him to know the difference.

"_Finite incantatem_." Harry snarled, wincing as he felt one of the two guardians lunge at his ankle, which had gotten too close to them.

Letting his magic wrap around the wound, he stopped the bleeding, gasping as Fallen hit the floor hard beside him and Draco.

The red wolf slid almost five feet before coming to a stop.

The basilisk screamed as something began to tear at it's eyes.

Draco ducked a curse that Riddle sent at him and snarled one in return before looking up. "Harry…it's Fawkes." he said.

Harry nodded as the bird dove, avoiding the fangs before rising and going for the other eye.

The basilisk thrashed wildly, and it's tail collided with the column above Draco and Harry.

The two dove out of the way as it fell.

Panting, Harry looked up, becoming aware that Riddle was hissing again.

"_LEAVE THE BIRD! GO AFTER THE BOY!"_

Draco hissed as he got to his feet.

"You alright?" Harry asked him, climbing over the column to get away from the angry basilisk.

"I won't be dueling Riddle again. My wrist is sprained. I can't hold a wand at this point."

"Run." Harry snarled, crouching to pick up Draco's wand as he passed it. "That thing is _pissed_."

The two Gryffindors ducked as the basilisk's tail swung over their heads.

"_KILL THE BOY! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU! SNIFF-SMELL HIM!"_

"It isn't the only one, trust me." Harry hissed as the Chamber wall crumbled a bit and a sharp piece of rock cut his arm.

"Shit." he muttered, watching as the basilisk turned towards the newly spilt blood hungrily.

Eyeless sockets stared at him, and he watched as Fawkes flew swiftly away.

Draco cried out softly as the snake's long tail crushed his leg beneath it as it slithered towards Harry.

Harry scrambled backwards, towards the way that Fawkes had left.

Riddle laughed. "Are you ready to die, Potter? You have out used your allies. Here, you will die!"

Harry locked eyes with Draco.

Unless he was hearing things...

Draco's eyes widened at something behind Harry.

"Impossible." he breathed.

The flapping of wings drew Harry's attention as Fawkes returned, circled over head before rising higher.

But that wasn't what made Draco's eyes widen further.

Fawkes had brought reinforcements.

---

The soft padding of paws hitting wet ground made Harry duck.

A blur of black collided with the lunging King of Serpents, the snake was dead before it hit the ground, blood pouring from a neck torn so deeply that the bone glistened with blood and poison.

Harry cringed as the blood poured rapidly from the wound, and the smell filled the air.

The Black Panther landed nimbly on the ground, blazing red eyes locked on Riddle, Arcana, and Dark.

Harry scrambled to his feet as Riddle screamed in outrage.

"**He is mine."** the panther murmured, fangs glinting in the dim light. **"Arcana. Bring us the diary."**

"**Arcana does not answer to you, Tarana."** Dark sneered, turning to lunge at her.

Tarana growled and the flames on the torches flared black and green. **"I'm not nearly as exhausted as I was when we last fought Dark. And your brother is no longer under your control."**

Harry backed towards Draco and watched as Fawkes landed on Fallen's still form.

For the first time, he realized that Fallen was no longer breathing.

Arcana dropped the diary on Draco's lap and prowled to Tarana's side, nuzzling her neck.

"**Dark is mine. This fight has long been over due."** He hissed.

Dark stepped back from the enraged tiger.

Riddle, however, was no longer paying attention to the guardians in the room, or even the basilisk.

He had eyes for the open diary on Draco's lap.

With a snarl, Riddle raised Ginny's wand and pointed it at Harry and Draco. "Give me the diary."

Draco's eyes narrowed and his hand went to the fang around his neck, a Christmas present from Fallen the year before.

_**---**_

_**The fang of the King of Serpents, symbolizes the power of mind and emotion to the guardians.'**_

'_What?' _

'_**The Basilisk is the King of Serpents. That fang, will help in the long run…**_

_**---**_

With a sharp jerk, the fang came free and locking eyes with Riddle, Draco closed the book and drove the basilisk fang deeply into the diary.

Ink poured from it and Draco cringed as it covered his clothes and the fang.

Harry didn't care.

He was watching as Riddle writhed and screamed in torment before disappearing, Ginny's wand clattering to the ground.

---

Dark howled as Arcana tore a chunk of skin and fur from his side.

"**I have no reason to remain here. My chosen calls."**

Turning, Dark fled the Chamber.

Arcana watched him go.

"**You've waited almost a century and you let him go. You're going soft, Arcana."** Fallen rasped.

Arcana turned. **"I have more important things to do. Like spoiling the Weasley family and reacquainting myself with Hogwarts…. I'd rather like to hunt too. But first things first…I'm going to clean that fang of yours Malfoy. After all, it was a gift."**

Draco blinked as the water was absorbed into the fang, taking the black ink with it, leaving the surface as clean as the day he got it. "Thanks." he murmured, cringing when Fawkes landed on his leg.

Tarana allowed Fallen to lean on her while the wolf got his bearings.

"**So, how much trouble did you all get in this year?"** she asked as the group walked (Ginny lay on Arcana's back) from the Chamber and the 'door' slammed shut behind them.

"**We've spent far too much time with the Greasy Potions Master…is he still behind the rocks?" **

And so began a debate as to whether or not Snape was 'greasy' in the way that Fallen meant it.

---

Ginny began to stir not long after.

Pausing, they sat and waited.

Harry and Draco stood nearby.

As predicted, she began to struggle when she saw just who was beneath her.

"Ginny!" Harry said loudly, gaining her attention. "You're safe, I promise." he said.

Draco put a hand on her shoulder. "Would it make you feel safer if one of us carried you? You should still be regaining your energy."

Ginny paled at the reminder, and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Draco." Harry murmured, gently pushing the blonde aside.

"Come on Ginny. Let's go. Ron and Professor Snape are waiting at the end of the corridor."

Ginny nodded hesitantly.

"Don't worry. We know what happened." Draco snorted softly. "Tom Riddle likes to brag." he muttered dryly. "We probably know more than you want us to."

Ginny promptly burst into tears.

Harry rolled his eyes and glared at Draco, who shrugged.

'What the hell did I do?'

'_**You're so insensitive to girls, Draco.'**_ Fallen smirked.

Draco grinned. 'I'm glad your more friendlier now, Fallen. You're bitchy side was a pain in the ass to deal with.'

Harry, who had unconsciously been running his fingers through Tarana's fur, as if to reassure himself that she was there, was busy listening to Ginny ramble.

"Harry-oh, Harry-I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I _c-couldn't_ say anything in front of Percy-it was _me_, Harry-but I-I s-swear I d-didn't mean to-R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over-and-_how_ did you kill that-that thing? W-Where's Riddle? The last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the diary-"

"Ginny." Harry murmured, cutting her off. "It's alright. We told you, you're safe now. Arcana's in a better frame of mind than he used to be. He's going to take care of you so this doesn't happen again, okay."

Ginny looked up at the white tiger with innocent eyes. "P-Promise?" she whimpered.

Arcana gently licked her tears. **"I promise. You and your family are safe. The old man will have to fight me if he wants to expel you now."**

While Ginny wrapped her arms around the tiger, Harry asked the question that had been nagging him.

"Tarana. I thought you were dead."

Tarana turned amused, content blue eyes on him. **"Arcana needs to work on his aim."** she stated dryly.

Draco snorted into his hand and tilted his head to the side so that Fawkes could settle on his shoulder.

---

Once Ginny got herself back together, they continued on.

Not too long afterwards, the sound of shifting rock could be heard. Fawkes took off and flew through a gap in the rock, landing on a surprised Snape's shoulder. "You do have some amazing friends, Potter." he stated dryly, knowing that the boy wouldn't hear him anyways, and watched as Ron pulled his little sister through the rather large gap.

Snape's eyes widened slightly when Tarana and Arcana followed the group through.

"Tarana." he murmured.

The panther smirked at him and padded forward to nuzzle the greasy haired man's chin. _**'Thank you for looking out for him, when I was unable to.'**_ she murmured, before walking back to Harry's side.

Harry glanced around. "Hey, what happened to Professor Lockhart?"

Snape snorted, losing his prized composure. "He's around the bend. Weasley's wand backfired again-yes Weasley I know of your episode with the slugs-he lost his memory."

Tarana eyed Ron. **"Slugs huh. I can tell this is going to be an interesting story."**

Ron almost knocked her to the ground with the force of the hug he gave her. "Merlin, you're ALIVE!"

"That is what one calls someone when they're breathing, Weasley." Draco drawled. "Now can we _please_ move this somewhere cleaner? This place isn't good for my complexion."

Harry snickered, trying desperately to keep his laughter somewhat under control, but in the end, he laughed until he was practically hyperventilating, tears streaming down his face.

---

Twenty minutes later, everyone was back in Myrtle's bathroom and she was staring sadly at Draco.

Ron leaned forward and whispered to Harry. "Competition?"

Harry smirked. "Not a chance." he murmured.

Fawkes sang softly, drawing everyone's attention to the phoenix.

After Snape and Draco put their cloaks back on, after numerous cleaning spells, Snape led them all to McGonagall's office, where he knocked twice and pushed the door open.


	18. Rewards

This Chapter was Revised 9/11/09

**Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets**

_**Chapter Eighteen: Rewards**_

Cerberus-FINAL CHAPTER!!! This is the final chapter of Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Chamber of Secrets. As I utterly hate the way the last few chapters of Harry Potter, the Guardian, and the Prisoner of Azkaban turned out, I'm not quite sure when that will be written or posted, nor do I know how much of it I can/will keep. I apologize in advance if it ends up being another 2 years before the third 'book' is posted.

* * *

For a moment there was silence, broken only by the sound of Snape's cloak as he moved into the room.

Then there was a scream.

"_Ginny!_"

The guardians winced at the loud noise and Arcana shifted so that the Weasleys' path to Ginny was blocked by his fangs, still stained by the blood of Dark, with the dribbles slipping down his white muzzle, he looked beyond vicious.

Both Weasleys stopped short and stared in horror.

Tarana led the others past the group of Weasleys, letting Ron attempt to explain that the Weasleys had a guardian.

Fallen and Tarana flanked Draco and Harry as the two sat on the couch, watching as Ron tried to talk Arcana into letting Ginny see his parents.

The two students however, were looking at the fireplace where Snape stood a few steps away from McGonagall and Dumbledore.

Fawkes had settled himself on Dumbledore's shoulder.

Arcana stared at the large woman in front of him disdainfully.

He didn't need Dark around to know that if the time came, she'd be all too easy to manipulate.

Arthur stood staring at the tiger with awe.

'_**Dumbledore doesn't trust me.'**_ Arcana projected.

Tarana snorted, eyeing the veiled distrustful look. _**'No. I don't think he does. But he really doesn't have a choice. You are a Guardian. Both of the younger children, the male heir among them, are here. He has no say.'**_

Arcana chuckled.

Tarana and Fallen snapped to attention when Molly moved nearer to their charges, addressing the room as a whole.

"How did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," McGonagall said weakly, idly rubbing at her chest.

Arcana moved hesitantly into the room, Ginny slid from his side to sit beside Ron and her family and gestured for him to sit near her.

Tarana glanced at the red headed girl and eyed her for a moment before turning her ears to the conversation around her.

For the next half hour, Harry, Draco, and Ron told them of what had happened that year.

Finally, they reached a snag.

They weren't sure they _wanted_ to tell about the diary, or that Ginny'd been writing in it for the better part of the year.

Tarana's eyes flashed.

"**I want to know, how Voldemort's **(insert ignored gasps)** been controlling Ginny if Fallen, Yoko, and I found him in Albania last summer."** she murmured.

Tarana tilted her head minutely as the familiar emotions ran through her bond with her chosen.

Relief-warm reassurance.

Arthur stuttered. "W-what's that? _You-Know-Who_? En-Enchant _Ginny_? But Ginny's not-Ginny hasn't been-"

"**Arthur, Ginny is free of all influences, I promise you."** Arcana murmured soothingly.

Draco held up the ruined diary. "It was this. Riddle wrote in it when he was sixteen."

Draco looked at Dumbledore pointedly as the headmaster picked up the diary and began to look it over.

"Who is Riddle?" Molly asked.

Dumbledore looked up from the diary. "Very few people know that Lord Voldemort's (cue shivers) was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts."

"**He disappeared after he left the school, traveling as far and as wide as he could. Sinking deeply into the dark arts and consorting with the worst of the worst."** Arcana stated. **"By the time he resurfaced as Voldemort, he was unrecognizable. Tom Riddle no longer existed."**

"But, Ginny," Molly said. "What's Ginny got to do with this?"

"…"

"His d-diary!" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year-"

"_Ginny!_" Arthur said, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you _anything_? What have I told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself _if you can't see where it keeps its brain_? Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was _clearly_-"

"**She's an eleven year old girl, Arthur. Not a fully trained wizard who knows the aura and feel of a dark object."** Tarana snapped, standing with a snarl.

"Miss. Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away," Dumbledore interrupted, shaking off the glares that he received. "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." he strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added twinkling kindly down at her. "You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just given out Mandrake juice-I daresay that basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."

"So Hermione's okay!" Ron said brightly.

"There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny," Dumbledore said.

Molly and Arthur left with Ginny to the infirmary.

Dumbledore turned to McGonagall. "You know, Minerva," he said thoughtfully, "I think all this merit's a good _feast_. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"

"Right," McGonagall said crisply. "I'll leave you to deal with these three, shall I?"

"Certainly," Dumbledore said.

She left, and Ron gazed uncertainly at Dumbledore, not really feeling Arcana throw up mental barriers to keep the old man out of his Chosen's mind.

Tarana touched Harry's and found them as strong as ever. She felt a flash of pride run through her.

Dumbledore frowned minutely, before looking at them.

"I seem to recall telling you three that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules," Dumbledore said, looking at them over his glasses.

Ron's mouth dropped his mouth open in horror.

"Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling. "You will all receive Special Awards for Services to the School and-let me see-yes, I think two hundred points apiece to Gryffindor."

Ron and Harry's jaws both dropped, Ron's further than before, and Draco raised a brow.

"But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure."

"He lost his memory, Headmaster. A memory charm backfired." Snape drawled quietly from his dark corner.

_He really seems to like those._ Draco thought idly.

"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary, too?"

Draco sneered. "The git has lost his memory, headmaster. I'm sure that Weasley can handle him on his own."

Arcana stood and smirked at Fallen. _**'Seems that your charge is quite a bit to handle. Think Harry will be able to handle him?'**_

The wolf snorted. _**'The boy has proven time and time again that he can deal with the moody Malfoy family heir. When the change comes, I can almost guarantee that there will be no change in **_**that** _**particular manner.'**_

Draco remained sitting, Harry leaning against his side hand buried deeply in Tarana's fur, staring calmly at the Headmaster.

"Sit down, Severus." Dumbledore said as Arcana, Ron, and Lockhart left the room, closing the door behind them.

"First of all, Harry, I want to thank you," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. "You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you."

Draco snorted quietly.

"And so you met Tom Riddle," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "I imagine he was _most_ interested in you…."

"Professor," Harry murmured after a moment. "The Sorting Hat told me I'd have done well in Slytherin. Almost everyone thought _I_ was Slytherin's heir for a while…because I can speak Parseltongue…."

Dumbledore seemed to jump on this.

"You can speak Parseltongue, Harry," he said, "because Lord Voldemort-who _is_ the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin-can speak parse tongue. Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to do, I'm sure…."

'_**Not true. Voldemort didn't give you much of anything, Harry, and definitely not enough to allow you to Speak. You can speak because it is your gift. You are a Snake Speaker. As your new mate, is a Controller. Future Guardians, remember.'**_

Draco tightened his hold on Harry's shoulders and pulled his friend closer.

Dumbledore smiled slightly when Harry didn't say anything.

"What you need, Harry, is some food and sleep. I suggest you go down to the feast, while I write to Azkaban-we need our gamekeeper back. And I must draft an advertisement for the _Daily Prophet_, too. We'll be needing a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher…. Dear me, we do seem to run through them, don't we?"

Draco stood. "If you bothered to get competent teachers, Headmaster, I'm sure they'd probably last longer." he held out a hand for Harry, pulling his to his feet, and the two, plus guardians, walked towards the door.

They stopped as one, and not two seconds later, the door was thrown open with such a force that it bounced back off the wall.

Draco tensed.

Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury in his face.

And cowering behind Lucius' legs, was the pain of Harry's year himself.

Dobby.

"Good evening, Lucius," Dumbledore said pleasantly, taking Lucius' gaze away from the clasped hands of his son and the boy who lived.

Lucius almost knocked Harry over as he brushed past.

"So, he said. "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."

Draco's hand tightened in Harry's and Harry squeezed back reassuringly.

"Well you see, Lucius," Dumbledore said, smiling serenely. "the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth. They'd heard that Arthur Weasley's daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too…. Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."

Lucius paled further than usual, and Draco's grip on Harry's hand tightened to borderline painful.

"So-have you stopped the attacks yet?" Lucius sneered. "Have you caught the culprit?"

"We have," Draco snapped. "No thanks to you."

Lucius' eyes narrowed. "And who was it, son?"

Draco locked eyes with his father. "The Dark Lord."

Dumbledore held up the black diary.

Draco slid his hand around Harry's shoulders slowly, and his hands darted to begin untying the Gryffindor tie around his boyfriend's neck.

By the time Lucius turned to leave, Draco had the tie undone, clenched in his fist and half hidden under his sleeve.

As Lucius and Dobby left the room, Harry glanced at the door, Draco, and then the diary. "Professor Dumbledore. Can we give that diary back to Mr. Malfoy?"

"Certainly Harry. But hurry. The feast, remember…."

Harry grabbed the diary as the two boys left the room.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Harry called. "Here." he panted, catching up. "I thought you'd want this back." he shoved the diary into Lucius' hands.

While Lucius looked from Harry to the diary angrily, Draco dangled the tie before Dobby, nodding when the house elf looked at him questioningly.

Slowly, the elf took it, hands shaking.

"You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Harry Potter," Lucius said softly, ignoring Tarana's growl. "They were meddlesome fools too."

The tall blond turned to go. "Come Dobby. I said, _come_."

But Dobby didn't move.

He was holding up Harry's tie, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure.

"Master has given Dobby a tie," the elf said in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."

Harry smirked, fingering the area on his uniform where the tie would have been.

Lucius growled.

"You've lost me my servant, boy!"

Draco sneered and stood between the two. "He did no such thing. _I_ gave Dobby the tie. _I_ set the poor miserable creature free from the likes of my oppressive mother. You will not harm Harry Potter, Father. He's got far too many friends. Both here in this castle and in life outside of it."

Lucius stared at his son for a moment, before nodding sharply and turning away.

Draco grinned at Harry and turned to Dobby. "Make me a promise, Dobby."

Dobby nodded rapidly, grinning at the two boys. "Anything for Draco Malfoy, sir, anything."

Harry smirked. "Promise to never try to save my life again."

Dobby had the grace to look ashamed, before he nodded happily and disappeared with a final loud crack.

---

Tarana had been to several Hogwarts feasts, but never one quite like this one.

Everyone was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night. Harry didn't know whether the best bit was Hermione and Blaise running up to them yelling "You solved it! You solved it!" or Justin hurrying over from the Hufflepuff table to wring his hand and apologize profusely for suspecting him, or Hagrid turning up at half past three, cuffing Harry and Ron so hard on their shoulders that Arcana and Tarana chased him back up to the high table.

However, the happiest part, the part he would always remember, was when Yoko almost attacked Tarana he was so happy to see her.

Dumbledore finally arrived and announced that all exams had been cancelled as a school treat.

He also announced that, unfortunately, Lockhart would be unable to return next year, owing to the fact that he needed to go away and get his memory back.

Quite a few of the teachers joined in the cheering that greeted this news.

"Shame," Ron said, helping himself to a jam doughnut. "He was starting to grow on me."

"Bull shit." Blaise mumbled around his food.

---

The rest of final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal with only a few, small differences-Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were canceled and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor.

Draco finally got annoyed and visited the Slytherin common room and returned grinning happily, the next day, Katelyn no longer strutted around the school as though she owned the place.

---

Four days after the feast, Tarana sat before Neville for three and a half hours and worked around the snake, gently disentangling it and destroying it once it was free.

Neville had never said what he saw and Tarana, Harry, and Draco never pushed it.

---

For Harry and Draco, it was too soon for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Blaise, Ginny, Fred, and George got a compartment to themselves, the place so packed that the four Guardians were forced to lay out in the hallway.

They made the most of the last few hours they were still allowed to do magic before the holidays.

They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks, and practiced disarming each other by magic.

Harry was getting very good at it.

They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.

"Ginny-what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"

"Oh, that," Ginny said, giggling. "Well-Percy's got a _girlfriend_."

Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head.

"_What_?"

"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," Ginny said. "That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them _kissing_ in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was-you know-attacked. You won't tease him, will you?"

Draco grinned wickedly and the twins chorused him as they said: "Wouldn't dream of it."

---

The Hogwarts Express slowed to a stop.

Draco wrapped his arms around Harry and whispered in his ear, "I'll see what I can do about coming to stay with you and those muggle fools for the summer. There's no way in hell I'm letting my best friend stay with them another summer with only a cat for company." he grinned at Tarana.

Tarana shook her head.

"**We'll be waiting, Malfoy. And don't call me a cat."**


End file.
